Romeo and Juliet: A Tale of Two Horses
by HorrorFan6
Summary: Romeo is a handsome colt yearning for a mate. Juliet is a lovely young mare who feels nothing for the stallion courting her. When the two meet at an evening celebration, they fall deeply in love and know they are meant for each other. But with the bitter feud between their fathers still raging as strong as ever, it will take a lot more than love for them to be together forever.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello all! It's been a while since I posted anything, I know, and I'm sorry: this isn't a HTTYD fan fiction. This is actually a (sort of) original story that I've written and want your opinion of. It's called** _ **Romeo and Juliet: A Tale of Two Horses**_ **, and as the title suggests it is based on the Shakespeare play of the same name (minus, you know, the horse part). I know this is rather different from my usual fan fiction work, but please bear with me. There's a reason I'm putting it up here. You see, I have thoughts of publishing this book someday, and I want to get an idea of what kind of reaction it will receive. So please, by all means, leave some reviews and tell me what you think of this story. All constructive criticism is greatly appreciated, and any tips to help improve it are invaluable to me. (But please note the word choice:** _ **constructive**_ **criticism. Merely telling me that my story "sucks" or that I'm "a no-talent hack writer" does not fit into that description, and I hope you will refrain from such unhelpful and, to be frank, immature comments.)**

 **Some important information before we get started: this is meant to be a children's book. I'm aiming for the 8-12 age range. That being said, I don't pull punches. There will be some (hopefully minor) violence, some rather adult-ish themes (though nothing explicit, I promise), and some pretty sad moments. I think kids are capable of handling darker material, so I haven't made much of an attempt to lighten the story up for them, but if you think I've gone too far, then please let me know and I'll consider making some alterations. Also, the story is about horses, but they have been more or less anthropomorphized, meaning that their behaviors are more human than equine in nature. (Think a Disney movie's animal characters, like in** _ **The Lion King**_ **or** _ **101 Dalmatians**_ **.) So don't be upset if my characters don't display typical herd behavior: I have taken some liberties with natural horse conduct for the sake of the plot. One last thing: this is a retelling of** _ **Romeo and Juliet**_ **, but it is rather loose, and I've made a few alterations to the plot for various reasons. That being said, I am trying to be more or less faithful to Shakespeare's original, so if you think I've strayed too far, please let me know.**

 **I think that's everything you need to know on the outset. If I think of anything else (or if there are enough questions in the reviews) then I'll be more specific in A/Ns for later chapters. So with all that out of the way, let's get this party started! I hope you enjoy! :)**

Chapter One

The peace of the spring afternoon was broken by the sound of a horse's furious shriek. Every head in the herd rose from its grazing and turned to face the source of the disturbance: two big and powerful stallions were fighting in the center of the clearing the herd called home. The golden palomino Montague roared in pain as the pitch-black Capulet struck him with a heavy, sharp-edged hoof. Montague retaliated by biting Capulet's shoulder, and the black screamed in fury. None of the mares came forward to stop the fight, nor did they even flinch as one horse landed a blow on the other. These brawls had become so common that even the gentlest and softest-hearted horse among them was not horrified or even surprised.

One horse, however, did plunge into the fray and whinnied furiously as he drove the fighting stallions apart. Prince, the bay stallion who led the herd, bucked, and his hind hooves drove Montague back, while his flashing white teeth made Capulet retreat a pace or two.

"That! Is! Enough!" Prince bellowed once the two horses were separated, sides heaving, sweat trickling and mingling with the blood that streaked their trembling bodies. "This is the third time this month that you two have disturbed the peace of my herd! And it will be the last!" He pawed the ground and stared each stallion down until they lowered their heads submissively. His gaze lingered a moment longer on Capulet, and to him he added, "I don't care whatever history you may have. What is done is done, so leave it in the past."

Capulet glanced up at him for a brief moment before looking away again, glaring at the earth.

Prince huffed, and when he spoke again, it was in a voice of deadly calm. "Both of you listen well: I allowed you to stay here out of the kindness of my heart, and I hold the power to withdraw your welcome. The next time one of you so much as looks at the other the wrong way, I will banish you from this herd. Have I made myself clear?"

Capulet dipped his head silently, and Montague murmured, "Yes, Prince."

"Good," Prince snorted. "Now return to your families and tend to your wounds. And don't forget what I've said."

He turned and departed. Montague and Capulet exchanged one last glare of equal loathing before they turned away, each heading toward opposite edges of the clearing.

As Montague approached his corner of the glen, a handsome paint colt looked up. "Montague," he sighed. "Again?"

Montague nodded and winced: the motion made a cut on his neck sting. "Yes," he said. "I didn't intend to get involved, but…well…"

"Capulet started it?" the young stallion asked wryly.

Montague snorted. "Yes. I was minding my own business, and he just came up and starting hissing all these insults at me. I tried to ignore him, but…well, he's the kind of horse that is impossible to ignore. Then he shoved me, and I, well…I lost control."

The colt sighed and shook his head. He knew that, on the other side of the clearing, Capulet was probably telling his mate the exact same thing.

"Benvolio, have you seen my son?" Montague asked, looking around. "I haven't seen him at all today."

Benvolio scanned the herd, frowning. "Come to think of it, no, I haven't," he said. "That's odd. I wonder where…?" Then his eyes brightened. "There he is!"

Montague followed Benvolio's gaze and sighed in relief as his eyes fell on a blue roan colt. He was tall and handsome, his body long and trim, his mane and tail thick and flowing. He was grazing contentedly by the forest's edge, apparently unaware that a couple of fillies nearby were giggling and stealing covert glances at him.

"Romeo!" Montague called, and the colt looked up. "Come here, my son. How are you today?"

Romeo trotted over and replied, "Fine, Father. I'm just—" He broke off and skidded to a halt as he got a closer look at Montague's scratched and bruised body. "What happened to you?"

Montague snorted. "It's nothing, son, just a few cuts."

Romeo shook his head. "Were you fighting yet again, Father?"

"Yes, he was," Benvolio answered before Montague could speak. "But how on earth did you miss that, Romeo? It was in broad daylight for everyone to see."

"Uh…" Romeo blinked and looked away, blushing slightly. "I guess…I guess I was lost in my thoughts…"

Montague narrowed his eyes slightly. "Lost in your thoughts?" he repeated. "Son, you're _always_ lost in your thoughts these days. What in the world could possibly trouble you so much that you don't even notice a brawl in the middle of the clearing?"

Romeo looked up at his father and hesitated. "Uh…it's…it's nothing," he finally murmured.

"Nothing, huh?" Montague said with a tired sigh. "Fine. I'm in no mood to argue with you. If you're sure that you're all right…?" He trailed off, the slight lilt of his voice indicating an unfinished question.

"Yes, I'm fine," Romeo replied, nodding and smiling.

"All right," Montague said, though by the tone of his voice, Romeo knew the subject had not been dropped completely. He then turned and walked into the forest, heading toward a little stream that ran nearby, where he intended to clean his wounds.

"Okay," said Benvolio the moment Montague was out of earshot, turning to his friend. "I know that look. What's going on? What's bothering you?"

Romeo blinked in surprise and then sighed. "You're too perceptive for my own good," he said.

"Well?" Benvolio prodded. "What is it? You know you can talk to me, right?" He paused. "Is it about Mercutio?"

Mercutio had been Romeo's friend since the two had been foals. Along with Benvolio, the three had been inseparable…until Mercutio had fallen in love. Only a few days earlier, he and his new mate Angelica had left the herd to start one of their own.

"Mercutio?" Romeo said thoughtfully. "Well…I suppose so…in a way…"

"In a way?" Benvolio repeated, bewildered. "What does that mean?"

Romeo didn't answer for a moment. He gazed at the grass at his feet, pondering. Then, after almost a full minute, he said, "I…I remember how happy he was when he found Angelica, how devoted he was to her and how he always smiled when she was around." He paused. "I…I wish that I could find someone that would make me as happy as he was with her."

Benvolio stared at him. "So…you've been wanting…to fall in love?" And he laughed. "Romeo, why didn't you say so? That's something that we can fix!"

Romeo looked up at him, bemused. "How? I already know the mares of this herd, and none of them have caught my attention."

"Well, that's not completely true," Benvolio said, grinning. "You don't know all the mares in the herd. What about those belonging to Capulet's family?"

Now it was Romeo's turn to laugh. "Come on, are you serious? I'm Montague's son! How on earth do you expect me to get to know anyone from Capulet's family when he and my father hate each other so much?"

Benvolio shrugged. "Well, attending his party tonight might be a good place to start."

Romeo gaped at him. "The party?" he asked, stunned. It was the night of Capulet's annual celebration, a festival that was open to the entire herd…except Montague and his family. "Benvolio, perhaps you've forgotten, but I'm not invited, remember?"

"I'm inviting you," Benvolio replied easily. He smiled. "Being the son of the herd's leader has some advantages. I promise you, no one will harm you as long as I'm beside you."

Romeo hesitated. "I…I don't know…"

"Come on," Benvolio coaxed. "It'll be fun! And who knows, you might just meet your one true love…" He said this last bit in a singsong voice that sounded faintly teasing.

Romeo considered for a moment, and then he sighed. "All right, I'll come. But if anything happens, it's on you."

"I think I can live with that," his friend replied with a happy smile.

…

Meanwhile, on the other side of the clearing, Capulet was having his wounds tended to by his mate Lady. "Why must you always get into these fights?" she sighed as she licked blood away from one of the cuts that covered the horse's body.

Capulet sighed and winced. "Darling, we've been through this," he said wearily. "You know why."

Lady looked up at him and frowned. "It doesn't mean I have to like it. Capulet…" She sighed. "It was a long time ago…can't you just put it in the past?"

Capulet snorted. "It's not that easy. You know how badly Montague wronged me. I cannot forgive him for so great a crime."

Lady sighed and chose not to pursue the matter. She didn't want to make her mate angry before the party.

"Where is Juliet?" he asked after a moment. "I need to speak with her. Paris talked with me this morning about possibly becoming her mate."

Lady smiled. "That's wonderful news!" she said. "I think she's grazing, over there by the trees."

Capulet followed his mate's gaze and saw a beautiful red filly standing in the shade of the forest, her head lowered, cropping grass with a small smile on her face. He nodded. "Excellent. Lady, would you bring her over? I need to find Paris, and we will introduce them. Maybe tonight at the party…" He let the thought go unfinished.

Lady nodded and turned to fetch her daughter while her mate trotted off in search of Paris.

As her mother approached, Juliet looked up. "Good afternoon, Mother," she said. "How is Father doing?"

"He's got some cuts and scratches, but he'll be all right," Lady replied. "Hopefully all this fighting will stop now that Prince has threatened banishment."

"I hope so," Juliet agreed, nodding. "I hate watching them fight. All that blood…" She shuddered.

"I know it upsets you," Lady said, reaching out to nuzzle her daughter. "But cheer up, Juliet. The party is tonight, after all."

Juliet smiled excitedly. She always loved her father's parties. The singing, the dancing, the laughter, it was all so fun and exciting.

"There is something your father wants to talk to you about, Juliet," Lady continued after a brief pause.

"Oh?" Juliet asked. "And what is it?"

"It's not for me to say," Lady replied, smiling mischievously.

"Oh, Mother!" Juliet laughed. "You're so mean to tease me like that!"

Lady laughed with her and said, "Well, you won't have long to wait to find out. Come on, let's go to him."

Juliet nodded and followed her mother to where Capulet stood, conversing with a tall and powerful-looking chestnut horse. Upon their approach, the two stallions turned to look at the mares, and they smiled. "Ah," Capulet said happily. "Juliet, this is Paris." He nodded to the chestnut, who bowed his head in a sign of respect. "He has expressed interest in getting to know you."

"Oh…" Juliet blinked, surprised. "Um…hello, Paris."

"Hello, Juliet," Paris replied, smiling down at her. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," Juliet said, inclining her head.

"Paris has requested to escort you to the party tonight," Capulet explained. "Does that please you, Juliet?"

Juliet glanced at her father, and then at her mother. Both of them were smiling expectantly. It couldn't be plainer that they were both excited about Paris, far more excited than she herself was. But she smiled and said, "Of course, Father."

"Excellent!" Capulet whinnied as Paris beamed. "Well, Paris, we look forward to seeing you tonight. The festivities begin at dusk."

"I can hardly wait," Paris replied in all seriousness. "I will see you then, Juliet."

He reached out to nuzzle her, and Juliet allowed him to. But her heart did not race when he did.

 **A/N: I hope you've enjoyed it so far. More will come soon, I promise. And I can actually promise that with confidence this time because the story is actually already finished. So you won't be waiting for an eternity while I struggle to complete the next chapter, as is my usual way. I'm hoping to post chapters every Tuesday and Friday, so expect the next chapter early next week. Thank you so much for reading, please tell me your thoughts in a (constructive!) review, and I'll see you (hopefully) on Tuesday.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: ...Well, I have to admit I had hoped for more of a response to the first chapter...but hey, it was only one chapter. There's still plenty to go. Maybe later chapters will get more attention. Normally I wouldn't press like this, but since I'm planning to publish this someday I would really love some feedback. And thank you to those who favorited and followed this story, as well as to my one reviewer. I'm glad you like the story so far and hope you continue to enjoy it. :)**

 **Anyway, enough of that. Here's Chapter Two, in which the famous lovers meet for the first time. Hope you enjoy!**

Chapter Two

The sun began to set over the treetops, and most of the herd made its way to Capulet's end of the clearing. A group of mares gathered together and started to sing, their beautiful melodies drifting and floating throughout the party. Several of the others began to dance in tune to the songs, the mares standing side-by-side with the stallions and trotting in little circles around each other. Those that didn't sing or dance merely stood by and watched with happy smiles, occasionally exchanging a comment with a friend or laughing at some remark.

Benvolio, with Romeo close behind him, walked up to the festivities and took a look around. "Are you sure about this?" Romeo asked, eyeing Capulet apprehensively. He was standing close by, talking to his mate Lady. "I have a bad feeling about this. I mean really bad, the I'm-probably-going-to-die-tonight kind of bad."

Indeed, all afternoon he'd dreaded the party, feeling his heart thud painfully hard whenever he thought about it. He didn't know why he should feel so uneasy, yet he couldn't quite shake the feeling that something big – and terrible – was going to happen to him tonight.

"Relax, Romeo," Benvolio replied easily. "Everything will be fine. If anyone asks, tell them you're with me." And with that, he approached the nearest mare and asked, "Would you care to dance?"

The mare giggled and tossed her head, and the two walked together over to the area reserved for dancing, leaving Romeo quite alone.

"This was a bad idea," Romeo muttered. He looked around. There were plenty of faces he recognized, but most of them he knew by sight and not by name, or if he knew their name, it was the only thing he knew about them.

His eyes fell on a pretty Appaloosa mare standing nearby. She had a dark gray coat, and her rump was decorated by a white splash covered in little black dots. Romeo considered her for a moment before he sighed and approached her. "Hello," he said, and the mare looked around.

"Hello," she replied pleasantly, and then her eyes flashed in recognition. "Hey, aren't you—"

"Please keep your voice down," Romeo hissed. "I'm trying not to draw attention to myself. Yes, I am Romeo, son of Montague. I'm here with Benvolio; he invited me."

The mare stared at him, and then she shook her head. "You are either very brave or very stupid," she remarked with a small smile.

Romeo grinned. "Probably the latter," he admitted.

The mare laughed and said, "My name is Rosaline. It's a pleasure to meet you, Romeo."

"Likewise," Romeo replied, bowing his head.

There was a span of silence as neither could think of anything to say.

"So…what made you decide to crash Capulet's party?" Rosaline asked after a while.

"I'm not sure I'd call it 'crashing'," Romeo replied with a smile, "but…I'm here because I'd like to get to know some of the horses in the herd. This seemed like a good opportunity."

"I see," Rosaline said. Another awkward silence fell.

 _This was a bad idea_ , Romeo thought again, his heart sinking. _A really, really bad idea…_

…

A short distance from where Romeo and Rosaline stood, Juliet was thinking the very same thing. She was dancing with Paris, who didn't seem able to stop beaming. Juliet, by contrast, was putting forth every effort into her fake smile. She had promised her parents that she would try to get to know Paris, and she kept her promises. But it was clear to her that Paris wanted a great deal more from her than she was willing to give.

Paris passed her, his forelegs snapping up in rhythm to the mares' song, and he reached out to nuzzle her briefly. Juliet groaned inwardly but made no sound, choosing instead to look down and let him make of that what he would. Apparently he took it as a sign of pleasure, for the next time he passed her he nuzzled her again.

Juliet's relief was palpable when the song finally ended, and Capulet whinnied his approval to the singers. She took advantage of the momentary silence to say to Paris, "Would you excuse me for a moment?"

Paris nodded, looking a little confused, and to soothe him, she smiled sweetly at him. He blinked and swayed slightly, and Juliet barely suppressed a giggle before she walked away and disappeared into the crowd. Away from Paris and out of her parents' sight, she allowed her smile to fade away and a sigh of frustration to escape her lips.

What she needed was a drink, she decided. The stream was a short distance away; if she hurried, no one would even know she'd gone.

She turned and began to walk toward the forest edge, but another horse moved directly in front of her, and she sidestepped to avoid her, instead colliding with a young stallion standing nearby. He grunted in surprise and she turned to look at him. He was a blue roan, and he was incredibly handsome. He was gazing at her as though he'd never seen anything like her before in his life. Standing beside him was Rosaline, looking from one to the other in confusion.

Juliet's mouth felt suddenly dry. She tried to apologize for the collision, but nothing came out. She cleared her throat and tried again, "I…I'm sorry…forgive me…"

Romeo stared at her, mouth hanging slightly open. "N-no, it's…it's fine," he stammered.

The mares started up their next song. In some vague corner of her mind, Juliet remembered she'd been trying to get a drink, but her legs seemed disconnected from her brain and refused to move.

Romeo suddenly seemed to realize he was staring and glanced down, blushing slightly. Then he said, "Would you, uh…would you care to dance?"

Juliet considered him for a moment, breathless, and then nodded. She followed him to the dancing area and stood beside him, her eyes never leaving his. She noticed how they seemed to shine in the light of the setting sun, and her heart felt mysteriously warmed. They started to dance, weaving around each other, passing to and fro at a gentle trot, surrounded by other dancing couples yet blissfully ensconced in a world all their own.

"Do I know you?" Romeo asked after a moment. "I…I feel as though I've met you before."

"No," Juliet replied softly. "I'm sure I would have remembered meeting you if I had."

"Strange," Romeo remarked as he passed, snapping his legs up in a perfectly-cadenced trot. "You seem so familiar to me for some reason. But how can that be?"

"I don't know," Juliet answered honestly. "But you seem just as familiar to me. I don't understand how that's possible. I don't even know your name."

The stallion smiled. "I am Romeo."

"Romeo," Juliet repeated thoughtfully. "It is a nice name. A strong name. It suits you."

Romeo blushed and lowered his head, smiling. "And you? What is your name?"

"Juliet," she replied.

"Juliet," Romeo sighed. "It is a beautiful name. The name of an angel."

Juliet giggled. "You are too kind, Romeo."

Romeo smiled and, without being consciously aware of it, stepped a little closer to her. She filled his vision, and he marveled at how her mane danced and swayed as she moved, how her forelock shaded her beautiful, soulful eyes…how those eyes shone and sparkled with youth and life. He felt his breathing hitch in his throat, his heart pounding in his chest as if he were running over a great distance. "You…you are so beautiful," he whispered.

It was Juliet's turn to blush and lower her head. "Thank you, Romeo. I'm flattered."

"It's true," Romeo insisted. "You are…you are…" He swallowed the lump in his throat. "There are no words to describe you." Then he chuckled, embarrassed. "I'm sorry…I'm not doing a good job of this…"

Juliet smiled at him. "It's all right, Romeo. I understand."

Romeo sighed in relief and stepped even closer to her. They were now so close together that their legs were in danger of tangling in the midst of their dancing. Her scent drifted into his nostrils and he inhaled deeply, intoxicated.

Unseen and unnoticed, Paris stood watching them from the sidelines. His eyes were wide with shock and disbelief. Juliet was dancing with another horse…with…

He squinted. No…was it…?

It was. Romeo. Son of Montague.

Anger filled his heart, and he stalked away, searching for Capulet.

The song ended, and Romeo and Juliet stopped dancing. But their eyes never left each other. They stood motionless for a moment or two.

And then they leaned forward toward each other, and their muzzles touched in a sign of deep, heartfelt love.

"Juliet? Juliet, where are you?"

Juliet pulled back suddenly and looked around. Her mother Lady was searching the crowd for her. She looked back at Romeo and said, "I must go."

Romeo watched her depart with a sadness he couldn't begin to fathom. He watched her as she wove between the other horses, finally stopping in front of another mare, who looked relieved to have found her. Even from this distance, he distinctly heard her say, "I'm here, Mother. What is it?"

Romeo blinked and took a closer look, and he felt his heart constrict. He recognized the mare as Lady, mate of Capulet. Juliet had called her "Mother." Then that must mean…

The earth beneath him seemed to fall away as the realization hit him.

She was Capulet's daughter. Daughter of his father's worst enemy.

Meanwhile, Paris had found Capulet talking to a couple of mares. "Capulet, I must speak with you," he said in an urgent whisper.

Capulet excused himself and followed Paris a short distance. The chestnut nodded to where Romeo was standing, still motionless with shock and dismay. "It is Romeo, son of Montague. He is here. He was dancing with Juliet."

Capulet's eyes widened in surprise. "Romeo?" he repeated softly.

Paris looked around at him, and he was startled to see that Capulet's gaze was glassy. He was seeing something that only he could witness.

"Capulet?" he asked. "Sir? Are you all right?"

Capulet jerked as though bitten and said, "What? Oh…yes…yes, I'm fine."

Paris, not altogether reassured, nodded. "What should we do about him?"

Capulet considered for a moment, and then he said quietly, "Nothing. Let him have his fun. As long as he doesn't start any trouble – and I highly doubt he will, from what I've heard about him – I have no problem with his presence."

"Or the fact that he was dancing with Juliet?" Paris asked, his voice shaking with suppressed rage.

Capulet looked at him, frowning slightly. "As long as Juliet doesn't mind it, I don't either," he said. "Be careful, Paris. Jealousy does not become you. I know you have feelings for my daughter, and I certainly hope that she will soon return those feelings. Nothing would make me happier than to have you as my son-in-law. But until the two of you are officially betrothed, she is free to dance with whomever she chooses."

Paris, stung, didn't reply. But he continued to glare at Romeo even after Capulet had departed.

 _What nerve that colt has, to come here uninvited!_ he thought bitterly. _Capulet may not be troubled by it, but I am. And to be dancing with my love…!_

He snorted and walked forward. He intended to talk to Romeo and to make it plain to him that Juliet was off-limits.

Almost at the same moment, Benvolio, who had danced with almost every mare at the party, noticed Paris. There was no mistaking the anger that boiled in the chestnut's eyes, nor was it hard to figure out who it was directed towards, as he was walking straight at Romeo. He felt his heart miss a beat.

He cantered forward and reached Romeo first. "Come on, Romeo, I think it's time we start heading back. Your father is bound to be worried."

Romeo didn't move or say a word. He was still staring at the spot where Juliet had met with Lady, even though they had both since moved on to other parts of the meadow.

"Romeo?" Benvolio said, looking back at his friend. He glanced around and saw that Paris was almost upon them. "Come on, Romeo, snap out of it!" He butted his friend's shoulder with his head.

"Huh?" Romeo grunted, looking around with wide, confused eyes. "What…what is it?"

"It's time to be going back," Benvolio said, frowning. He sighed in exasperation. "Even at a party, you're lost in your own thoughts. I bring you here to meet mares and instead you spend it daydreaming."

Romeo didn't reply but meekly followed his friend away from the party. His head was lowered, and his tail drooped.

"Romeo?"

Juliet, freed at last from her mother's conversation, had returned to the spot where Romeo had been standing only to find that he was gone. "Romeo, where did you go?" she called.

"I'm afraid your dancing partner has left."

Juliet jumped and whirled around to face Paris.

"I…what?" she stammered. She was suddenly afraid: Paris looked furious about something.

"Romeo left the party a few moments ago," Paris said, scowling. "What on earth came over you, Juliet? Dancing with your worst enemy…?"

"My…my worst enemy?" Juliet repeated blankly. "What are you talking about?"

Paris snorted. "Romeo is Montague's son, Juliet! The son of your father's sworn enemy!"

Juliet stared up at him in shock. Her heart seemed to stop beating for a moment as this news – and all its implications – struck her like a wave from an angry ocean, submerging her and crushing her beneath the weight of devastation. "I…I didn't know…" she murmured after a moment.

Paris frowned. He could tell by her expression that she was telling the truth. She'd been clueless to the identity of the colt she had danced with. He relaxed slightly. "Forgive me," he said. "I did not mean to upset you. I thought you must have known…"

Juliet shook her head and looked away, desperately trying to stop herself from crying.

"The party is almost over," Paris said, trying to sound as though nothing had happened. "They're going to do one more dance before retiring. Would you care to—"

"No," Juliet replied softly. "I…I'm very tired, Paris. Please excuse me."

Paris's ears drooped sadly. "Very well, Juliet. I will say good night, then."

He bumped his muzzle to her cheek and walked away. Juliet stood motionless for a moment before turning and retreating to the corner of the clearing where she slept. There, she finally allowed her tears to flow.

 **A/N: As always, I hope you're enjoying it! Please leave a review and tell me what you think. Next chapter should be up on Friday. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: And now we have the famous balcony scene…minus, you know, a balcony. Hey, there's only so much I can do with the adaptation, you know? Anyway, hope you enjoy!**

Chapter Three

Montague was not happy when he found out where his son had been. "What were you thinking, Romeo?!" he said, stomping exasperatedly. "Going to Capulet's party?! Have you lost your mind?! What if something had happened to you? What if Capulet or one of his friends or relatives had tried to hurt you?"

"But no one tried anything, Father," Romeo said earnestly. "Nothing happened at all. Nothing…" He faltered for a moment as an image of Juliet filled his mind, and he broke eye contact, looking instead at the ground. "Nothing happened."

Montague frowned. "Are you sure?" he asked. "You're not…not hiding something, are you?" He stepped closer. "Son, please be truthful. Did one of Capulet's family try something?"

"No, Father," Romeo said, a little more forcefully than necessary. "Why are you so determined that someone did something?"

Montague snorted. "Because I know Capulet. I wouldn't put it past him." He sighed and added, "Romeo, my son, you are precious to me. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you. I can't lose you…"

Romeo stared at him. "What…what happened between you and Capulet?" he asked after an uncomfortable pause. "What happened to make you hate him so much?"

Montague looked taken aback. He stared at Romeo for a long moment, as if sizing him up, pondering whether he should answer or not.

Then he turned his head away. "Never mind that. It's in the past."

Romeo opened his mouth to persist, but his father cut him off: "It's late. You should get some sleep."

"But…" Romeo began, but then he sighed, knowing it would do no good to argue. "Yes, Father. Good night."

"Good night, son," Montague replied.

Shaking his head wearily, Romeo walked away to the corner of the clearing he usually slept in. Tonight, however, he found that sleep eluded him. He tossed and he turned, but he couldn't get comfortable. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Juliet, and she was so beautiful that it made his heart pound too hard for sleep to come. After nearly an hour, he groaned and stood up. Glancing about, he saw that he was the only one on this end of the clearing who was awake. His father lay nearby, his side rising and falling gently, his dreams undisturbed. A short way off, Benvolio slept near his father, Prince.

And on the opposite end of the clearing, Capulet and his family rested…

Juliet…

Without consciously deciding to act, he started for the other end of the clearing, taking soft, easy steps in a concentrated effort to not wake anyone. Soon, he was standing a few feet away from Capulet, who slept peacefully, Lady's head resting comfortably on his shoulder. He stopped and looked around for Juliet.

 _Why am I here?_ he asked himself as his eyes roamed over the sleeping horses. _This is probably the stupidest thing I've ever done, including going to the party. At least then I had Benvolio to protect me…_

I just want to see her, that's all, he assured himself. I just want to see her once so that my mind can be put to rest, and then I'll go back to my father's place and get some sleep…

A flurry of motion caught his attention, and he looked about, startled, half-expecting one of Capulet's family to raise the alarm at his presence. But nothing happened. The source of the movement was a horse, slipping silently away into the trees. He only caught a glimpse, but he knew immediately who it was.

Juliet.

His heart pounding, Romeo followed her into the forest, taking care to keep far enough back so that she didn't hear him follow yet close enough to see her. She continued walking for several minutes before finally coming to a stop at the edge of a tiny glen, a gap in the trees that was illuminated by pale moonlight shining down from above. Her red coat shone and glistened, and her eyes sparkled as though they had been momentarily replaced by stars. She was so achingly beautiful and close enough for him to reach out and touch her, yet Romeo held back and sighed in longing.

Juliet sighed too. Like Romeo, she had been unable to sleep, her mind too active to allow rest. She'd hoped a little walk might clear her head, but if anything she was even more confused and uncertain now than she had been earlier.

"Oh Romeo," she breathed, and Romeo gasped quietly, silently begging her to speak again, suddenly yearning for the sound of her voice.

"Romeo, Romeo…why do you have to be Romeo?" Juliet murmured to the sky. "Deny your father, and refuse your bloodline." She smiled. "Or, if you won't, then just swear you love me, and I will no longer be Capulet's daughter."

She paused and pawed the ground with a forehoof. Romeo watched and listened, his heart pounding, wondering if he should speak or show himself.

"It's just your lineage that is my enemy," Juliet continued with a sigh. "You would still be yourself even if you weren't Montague's son. But what does it matter that Montague is your father? The feud is between our fathers, not us. I have no hatred for you, son of Montague, so why should I care about your bloodline? Oh…" She huffed in frustration. "This whole affair is nonsense. I don't even know why our fathers hate each other, so why should I let it come between us?" She tossed her head defiantly. "Oh Romeo, forget your lineage, and in exchange for that lineage which has nothing to do with you, take all of myself."

Romeo's heart gave a bound. "Oh Juliet," he said aloud, stepping forward.

Juliet gave a small scream of surprise and whirled around to face him. "Who are you?! And what are you doing here?!"

"Oh Juliet, to say my name causes me pain," Romeo replied, bowing his head. "My name is a product of my bloodline which keeps us apart. So please, call me what you like, and I will use that as my new name."

Juliet squinted at him, and then her face broke into a warm smile. "I have not yet heard that voice say a hundred words, yet I know its sound as well as I know my own. Romeo, it is you!"

"Yes it is, my love," Romeo replied, smiling. "But only if you wish for it to be."

Juliet giggled, and then her smile faded. "Did…did you follow me here?"

Romeo nodded. "I had to see you, to talk to you…I…" He faltered, blushing. "After tonight, I thought…I wanted…I…I love you…" he finished, somewhat lamely.

Juliet shook her head. "You took a terrible risk, Romeo. If anyone in my family had seen you…" She didn't finish the thought.

Romeo smiled and took a step closer to her. "Night's darkness protected me from their eyes," he said. "Besides, if you don't love me, then I would rather they killed me. A life without you is simply not worth living."

Juliet considered him for a moment, her smile slowly returning. "Do you really love me?" she asked, and before Romeo could answer, she continued, "I know you'll say yes, and I'll believe you. But how do I know you're telling the truth? Many mares before me have been deceived by rogue stallions, so how do I know you're being honest?"

"Oh Juliet," Romeo said earnestly, "I swear by the moon—"

"Oh don't swear by the moon," Juliet interrupted, shaking her head. "The inconstant moon! It is always changing its shape, and if you swear by it then I must think that your love is just as changeable."

"Well, what should I swear by?" Romeo asked with a small laugh.

Juliet smiled sweetly. "Do not swear at all," she replied. "Or, if you must, then swear only by your good self, and I will believe you."

"Oh, my dearest love…" Romeo sighed.

"No, do not swear," Juliet said firmly, shaking her head. "This is all…so rash, so sudden, like the lightning which is gone before you even realize you've seen it. We should not act so hastily over something so serious. If we do, we are likely to stumble. So…" She inclined her head. "I will say good night, Romeo. Perhaps when we next meet, this seed between us will have blossomed into something far more beautiful. Until then, however…"

She started to walk past him, heading back toward the herd. Romeo felt his heart miss a beat. "W-wait!" he cried. "Please, don't leave yet!"

Juliet paused and looked back. "What more can possibly be said tonight?"

"Juliet," Romeo said, stepping toward her. "Please tell me that you love me. I need to hear those words come from your lips."

Juliet gazed at him and smiled. "But you already know that I do, Romeo. I do not understand why or how this has happened so quickly, but I love you. You overheard me confess my feelings for you earlier, and I cannot take those words back."

"Do you want to take them back?" Romeo asked, his smile slipping a notch. "Why?"

Juliet giggled. "For no other reason than I might give them to you again. But…" She hesitated. "Isn't this happening too fast? I've known you for barely a night."

"It's true," Romeo agreed. "Yet…I feel like I've known you my entire life. When I first saw you tonight, I felt as though my entire world was thrown off-center. Now everything in my life revolves around you, Juliet. I cannot explain, even to myself, why I suddenly feel this way. All I know is that it would kill me to deny my affection for you."

He reached forward and nuzzled her, and when he did, Juliet felt a fire rise within her, a pleasant warmth that she had never felt before in her life. Her legs trembled at his touch, and she thought for a moment that she might collapse.

"Oh…oh Romeo…" she breathed. "I…I don't know what to say…what to think…this is all so strange, so sudden…and yet I've never felt so sure about anything in my whole life as I am about this: that I love you, Romeo. And nothing would make me happier than spending the rest of my days by your side."

Romeo felt his heart soar at her words. "Then, my dearest Juliet, I have a question I have to ask you." He stepped back and bowed, and Juliet gasped, eyes wide with shock. "Juliet, my love, would you do me the supreme honor of agreeing to be my mate?"

There was a moment of absolute silence. And then Juliet's face broke into the sweetest smile he had yet seen. "Yes," she said, her voice shaking and her eyes filling with tears. "Yes, I will. Oh Romeo…!"

Romeo straightened and pulled her close to him with his muzzle. She pressed herself into his body and nuzzled him, allowing her joyful tears to slide down her cheeks. Romeo rested his head over her neck and sighed. "This is the happiest moment of my life," he declared to her.

"Mine as well," Juliet agreed, drawing back to look her new mate in the eye, tears still glistening on her cheeks. And then they reached out toward each other and their muzzles touched once again. Romeo breathed in her intoxicating aroma and nickered joyfully, and Juliet huffed quietly, her eyes closed in bliss.

After a moment – or it might have been several minutes, they wouldn't have known the difference – they drew back to look each other in the eye. "I can't help but fear that this is all a dream," Romeo remarked, "too sweet to be real…"

"If we are dreaming," Juliet replied, resting her head on Romeo's shoulder, "then I don't ever want to wake."

They would have been perfectly content to stay that way for the rest of the night, standing as close together as possible, his heart beating in rhythm with hers, blissfully encased within their own little paradise. But…

"Juliet? Juliet!"

Juliet stiffened and looked around at the sound of her father's voice. Capulet was nearby, searching for his daughter. Her heart sank. "I must go," she said to Romeo, her voice suddenly filled with sadness.

Romeo's ears drooped slightly but he nodded. "All right."

Juliet turned and started toward the sound of Capulet's voice, but then she paused and looked back. "When will I see you again?"

Romeo smiled. "Tomorrow night, right here."

Juliet smiled as well and nodded. "I'll be here. Oh, it's twenty years till then." She hesitated, and then she whirled around and ran back to Romeo, shoving her head into his chest. "Good night, my love," she whispered. "Parting is such a sweet sorrow, so I'll only say good night and not good-bye."

Romeo sighed and nickered wordlessly, caressing her with his muzzle. "Good night, my sweet Juliet," he murmured in her ear. "I look forward to seeing you again, my darling."

Juliet nodded and drew back, pausing long enough to nuzzle Romeo's cheek before she turned once again and cantered away into the trees.

"Father!" she called. "Father, I'm here!"

"Juliet!" Capulet sighed as his daughter came into view. "Where have you been?! I was so worried!"

Juliet came to a stop beside him and reached out to touch his shoulder. "There was no need to fear. I'm all right," she said cheerfully. "I couldn't sleep and decided to go for a walk. I was actually on my way back when I heard you calling."

Capulet sighed in relief. "Oh Juliet, don't just disappear like that, please," he said. "What if something had happened to you?"

Juliet giggled. "It's sweet of you to worry, Father," she said. "But I'm all right, really. Now come on, let's go home."

Capulet gazed down at her, his brow slightly furrowed, and then he sighed and nodded. "Yes. Let's head back."

He turned and led the way back to the clearing, Juliet walking quietly alongside him. They emerged into open air not long afterward, and Capulet nuzzled his daughter with a soft, "Good night. Sleep well," before settling himself down beside his sleeping mate.

Juliet nodded, smiling, and then walked over to her corner of the clearing, where she lowered herself to the ground and sighed. She glanced over at the other side of the clearing, and she just caught a glimpse of another horse emerging from the trees and settling on the ground. Romeo. She smiled and giggled quietly to herself, suddenly giddy with the memory of what had passed between them that night. Then she laid her head on the grass with a sigh, closed her eyes, and allowed images of Romeo to sweep her away into a pleasant sleep.

 **A/N: Hope you're enjoying the story! Next chapter should be up on Tuesday.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm so sorry this is late! I went to my grandfather's house yesterday and totally forgot to post the next chapter. Here it is, a day late, but here nonetheless. I'll try to get the next one up on time, I promise!**

 **Anyway, here's where my story starts to differ from Shakespeare's. Hope you enjoy!**

Chapter Four

It took Romeo a few moments to remember why he felt so happy when he awoke the next morning. He blinked, a little surprised to find that the sun was higher in the sky than it usually was when he rose each day. And then an image of Juliet filled his head, and he smiled.

He stood up and shook the loose grass from his dark coat. "Well, well," said a voice nearby, and he looked around to see Benvolio watching him, an amused smile curving his lips. "Good morning, sleepy-head. I was beginning to wonder if I should wake you."

Romeo chuckled. "Good morning, Benvolio. Forgive me, my sleep was…peaceful…"

 _And filled with pleasant dreams_ , he added silently.

Benvolio's eyes widened. "I see," he said, stepping closer to his friend. "And what, pray tell, made it so peaceful? Would it perhaps have anything to do with the party last night?" His smile widened. "Were we successful? Did you meet someone?"

Romeo hesitated for half a second before he grinned and replied, "I met several someones last night, Benvolio. There were a lot of horses at the party."

Benvolio rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean, Romeo," he said. "Did you meet a mare?"

Romeo chuckled. "Yes, I met some mares."

Benvolio groaned in exasperation and said, "For the love of…! Romeo, did you meet someone special? That was, after all, the whole point of you attending the party!"

Romeo's smile faded. How much should he tell…? "Well…" he said slowly. "Yes…I did meet…someone special…"

Benvolio's ears perked. "Now we're getting somewhere!" he said triumphantly. "Who was it?"

Romeo cracked a smile and answered, "A mare."

Benvolio blinked and then threw his head back with a half-irritated, half-amused grunt. "You're impossible, Romeo!" He shook his mane. "Fine, if you don't want to talk about it, I won't ask."

Romeo chuckled.

"Romeo!"

The two friends looked around in surprise to see Paris approaching, his chestnut coat gleaming in the morning sunlight. "Hello, Paris," Romeo said curiously. "What can I do for you?"

"Cut the pleasantries," Paris snapped, coming to a halt as he neared them, glaring at Romeo. "I want to know why you were at Capulet's party last night when you knew you were not invited."

Romeo blinked, stunned. When he didn't answer immediately, Paris growled and demanded, "Well? Why did you insult Capulet by attending his party? What kind of joke were you trying to pull?"

Romeo shook his head, bewildered. "I meant no offense, Paris," he replied. "I never meant to insult anyone, and I had no desire to pull any kind of joke. I merely wanted to have a good time, that's all. Is it really such a crime to seek out some fun for an evening?"

Paris snorted. "It is when the party is hosted by your enemy."

"My father's enemy, Paris," Romeo corrected him, a little coolly. "I have no quarrel with Capulet."

Paris blinked, momentarily surprised. Then he growled, "Regardless…you had no business—"

"Actually, Paris," Benvolio interjected, stepping forward, "he did. I invited him. Romeo was there as my guest."

Paris's eyes narrowed slightly. Angry though he was, he didn't dare contradict the son of the herd's leader. He snorted again and turned away, but then he paused and looked back at Romeo. "And one more thing: in future, stay away from Capulet's daughter! Juliet is off-limits to you. Do you understand that?"

Romeo stiffened noticeably but his voice was calm when he said, "What do you mean, Paris?"

"I mean that I saw you dancing with her!" Paris snapped, his eyes blazing. "She is my mare and I won't allow it! Stay away from her!"

Romeo stared at him for a long moment. His heart felt as though it had forgotten to beat, and his breathing did not seem to draw in enough air to sustain him. Benvolio was looking from Romeo to Paris and back again, brow furrowed.

After a long silence, Romeo said quietly, "We just danced, Paris. That is all. It is not a sin to dance."

Paris studied him for a moment, perhaps considering whether there was truth in his words. Then, apparently satisfied, he nodded and said, "Very well. But don't do it again." And he left, swishing his tail in agitation.

When he had gone, Romeo lowered his head. _Juliet_ , he thought, his heart pounding hard enough to shatter, _do you belong to Paris? Are you truly his mate? His betrothed? Why…? Why didn't you tell me…?_

"Romeo?" Benvolio asked, frowning in concern. "Are you okay?"

Romeo looked up at him and blinked away the moisture that had gathered in his eyes. "I…" He hesitated.

"Romeo, what is it?" Benvolio took a step closer. "What's going on? Why did you look that way when Paris mentioned Juliet? What is this all about?" He paused, and when his friend gave no reply, he continued, "You know you can trust me, Romeo. If it's something you want to keep a secret, you know I won't tell a soul."

Romeo pondered for a moment, and then he sighed. "All right, I'll tell you."

And he did, leaving no detail out. As he spoke, Benvolio's eyes grew wider, and when he brought up the late-night confession and proposal, his jaw dropped in shock. When the story was done, he continued to gape in silence. Romeo couldn't help but grin weakly. "If you're not careful, a fly will land on your tongue," he remarked.

Benvolio blinked and snapped his jaws shut. "Oh Romeo…" he sighed. "When I said I would help you find a mate, I didn't mean…I never thought…Capulet's daughter, Romeo?! Have you lost your mind?!"

Romeo sighed and nodded. "Perhaps I have. I certainly can't explain what happened last night. And…" His breath hitched. "…and perhaps I am being played…if she is indeed Paris's mare…"

At this, Benvolio snorted. "Don't believe everything you hear, Romeo. I have a feeling Paris is exaggerating a bit."

"But what if they are betrothed?" Romeo asked, fighting to keep his voice level. "Benvolio, I love her! If…if she…if they…" He shook his head. "What am I going to do?"

Benvolio considered him. "Didn't you say you were to meet her again tonight?"

Romeo looked around at him and nodded.

"Then talk to her about it," Benvolio suggested. "See what she says about it. For all we know, this might surprise her as much as it surprised you."

Romeo smiled. "I will," he said. "Thank you, Benvolio…thank you…"

Benvolio grinned. "Don't mention it," he replied. "I want you to be happy, Romeo. And if it means maintaining a secret relationship with Juliet…" He shrugged. "…I'll help in any way I can."

Affection for the paint colt made Romeo's eyes water. "Thank you," he said again. "You are…you are a true friend, Benvolio…"

…

Meanwhile, across the clearing, Juliet was trying to graze, but more often than not, she caught her mind wandering back to her meeting with Romeo, and she would find herself gazing absently at nothing. Once, after coming out of her daydreaming for what might have been the fiftieth time, she sighed and glanced up at the sun, which was almost directly overhead. "The night cannot come fast enough," she muttered.

"And why is that?" someone asked, and Juliet jumped. Spinning around, she saw the Appaloosa mare Rosaline gazing at her with a small smile on her face.

"Rosaline," Juliet sighed. "You startled me."

Rosaline laughed pleasantly. "Forgive me, my friend," she said. "I thought you might have heard me approach. Then again," she added with a giggle, "your head is in the clouds today, so I doubt you heard a thing."

"Uh…" Juliet blushed and grinned sheepishly. "No, I didn't…"

Rosaline shook her head. "Okay, out with it. What's going on?"

Juliet hesitated and looked away. "Ah…well…"

Rosaline smiled. "Look, I can put two and two together, Juliet," she said. "I saw the way you and Romeo were acting together last night, and by the way you are so distracted today, it's obvious that you have feelings for him. So tell me, what happened? What did he say to you? What did you say to him? What happened after you danced? How—"

"Hang on for a moment!" Juliet interrupted, shaking her head in amazement. "Aren't…aren't you the least bit concerned that he is Montague's son, and I am Capulet's daughter?"

"No, not really," Rosaline replied with a shrug. "The feud is stupid and needs to be forgotten. I'm much more interested in why you're so ready for night to come." Her eyes sparkled mischievously.

Juliet felt herself blush deeper. "Well…" she said slowly. Then she smiled. "It was…magical…the party, I mean…"

And she told Rosaline everything. Her friend eagerly drank in every word, and when she had finished, the Appaloosa squealed happily. "I knew it!" she said, nudging Juliet playfully. "I knew there was something between you! I could see it in your eyes last night!"

"You…you approve?" Juliet asked nervously.

"Of course I do!" Rosaline laughed. "Not that you need my approval, really. It's your happiness that matters here, Juliet. And if you're happy, I'm happy."

Juliet smiled. "I am happy, Rosaline," she said, looking around toward the other side of the clearing. "Happier than I've ever been in my whole life." She sighed and looked back at her friend. "I love him, Rosaline. I love him more than anything on earth. I know it sounds strange say that of someone I've known for less than a day, but…"

Rosaline smiled. "Love isn't known for making sense," she said wisely. "It is a confusing, chaotic, and often contradictory thing."

Juliet nodded. "It is…" She sighed, her smile fading. "I don't know how we're going to make it work…with our fathers hating each other so much…"

Rosaline shrugged. "You'll figure it out, I'm sure," she said. "These things have a way of working themselves out, one way or another."

Juliet's smile returned. "Thank you, Rosaline."

"You're welcome," Rosaline replied. "And don't worry, it will be our little secret."

Juliet nickered gratefully.

…

Romeo was the first to reach the little glen that night. All throughout the day, he had watched the sun with impatience, convinced that it was fixed in a single position and refusing to budge. Even after the sun had finally set, he'd had to wait for his father to finally settle down, and Romeo had wondered if Montague was purposefully staying awake to keep an eye on his son, determined to remain conscious until the younger had fallen asleep.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Montague had said good night, and the moment Romeo was certain he was indeed asleep, he had taken off for the trees, nodding once to Benvolio, who watched him go with a small smile on his face.

Juliet was not there when he reached the tiny gap in the trees, but he patiently waited, gazing up at the few stars he could see in the sky above. The night was cloudless, and the moon bathed the forest floor with a faint blue glow. There was no wind: not a leaf twitched nor a branch sighed to interrupt the silence of the evening as he waited, his heart hammering in his chest, his breathing a little quicker than normal from anticipation and excitement.

"Romeo!"

He looked around, his heart leaping at the sound of Juliet's voice. She stood between two thick tree trunks, gazing at him with a joyful smile and sparkling eyes. She ran to meet him and buried her face in his chest.

"Juliet," he sighed as he nuzzled and caressed her. "Every minute, every second away from you feels like a lifetime. I have lived a thousand full lives since I last saw you, and not one of them was eventful or worth the time."

"Oh Romeo," Juliet murmured, drawing back to look him in the eye. "In you I have everything I could ever want. My treasure is as boundless as the sea, and my love is as deep. The more I give to you, the more I have, for both are infinite. I am the luckiest mare in the world, to be loved by such a devoted and wonderful stallion as you. I love you, Romeo. I love you more than life itself."

Romeo smiled down at her, but her own smile flickered as she detected something in his eyes, something off. "Romeo, what is it? What's wrong?"

Romeo hesitated. "Juliet…this morning, a stallion named Paris confronted me…he…" He sighed. "He saw us dancing last night. He said that…that you belonged to him. That you were his mare, and that I was to never to try approaching you again."

As he spoke, Juliet's expression changed from confusion to shock and then to anger. She'd had to deal with Paris's affections for several hours that afternoon, for he'd approached her not long after she'd confessed her secret to Rosaline. She'd been patient with him at first, though the tension between them had only risen when the conversation turned to the party, particularly when Paris mentioned Romeo. "I gave that scoundrel a good talking-to," he'd said proudly, clearly under the impression Juliet would be impressed by his bravery or initiative or whatever. "And I can promise that he will never bother you again, Juliet."

"Bother me?" she'd said, unable to stop her eyes from flashing angrily. "Romeo didn't bother me, Paris. In fact I rather enjoyed dancing with him. And he's as far from being a scoundrel as a horse can be. He was quite nice to me, I assure you."

Paris's smile had slipped, and Juliet had silently chided herself. She needed to be careful about what she said around Paris. The last thing she needed was for him to find out about her secret romance by a careless word from her lips. If he reported back to her father, if Capulet learned that his only daughter was the mate of his enemy's only son, there was no telling what would happen. But it certainly wouldn't be good.

"I'm glad you had fun," Paris had said, and there was a definite cool note in his voice, "but I would still watch out for him. He's Montague's son and shouldn't be trusted. You know how your father feels about Montague…"

Juliet had resisted, but only barely, the urge to retort and settled instead for simply nodding. To her relief Paris had let the matter drop there, but he hadn't left her side until the sun kissed the treetops on its downward journey through the sky.

So naturally she didn't need much to flare up in anger against him now. "He…he said that?!" she asked Romeo, her voice shaking. "The nerve of that stallion…!"

"Juliet…" Romeo said, and Juliet blinked, startled by the hint of sadness his voice betrayed. "When he said that…that you were his…did he mean…are you and he…"

"No!" Juliet cried, and then she continued in a softer tone, "No, he and I are not mates, nor do I have any intention of becoming his mate. How could he possibly think…"

But she faltered when Romeo pulled her to him and nuzzled her. "That's all I needed to hear, my love," he nickered, his relief filling every syllable.

Juliet sighed. "Oh Romeo…" She pulled away gently and looked him in the eye. "My parents want me to accept Paris as my mate, but it's not going to happen. And the sooner he figures that out, the better." She nuzzled his cheek. "Never doubt that I love you, Romeo. You and you alone. There is no other horse in all the world that could replace you in my heart."

Tears of joy were welling in Romeo's eyes. "Juliet…" he moaned, touching his nose to hers. "You are the center of my world. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you. I'd even die for you. I love you, Juliet. I love you more than my own life."

"Oh Romeo…" Juliet sighed, her eyes closed in bliss.

After that, not many words were exchanged. They simply basked in the glory of their togetherness, reveling in their closeness and rejoicing in their devoted love as the moon slowly worked its way across the starry night sky.

 **A/N: As always, please leave a review and tell me what you think! I hope you're enjoying it. The next chapter will (hopefully) be up on Friday.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it! :)**

Chapter Five

The sky was just beginning to lighten when Romeo opened his eyes. He blinked, momentarily confused by his location. And then he felt Juliet beside him, her head resting on his shoulder, and he smiled, his heart swelling with joy. He reached out to nuzzle her gently, and she stirred with a faint moan. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at him. "Good morning, my love," Romeo murmured.

Juliet smiled sweetly. "Good morning." She looked up at the gray sky and added, "Dawn."

"Yes," Romeo sighed. "Time for us to go and live apart for another day."

Juliet groaned and pressed her head back into his shoulder. "Oh, stay for a little while longer. We don't have to leave quite yet."

Romeo chuckled. "Your wish is my command," he said. "I will stay here for as long as you want."

Juliet smiled. "Forever," she whispered. "I never want to leave your side."

Her mate nuzzled her. "That sounds like paradise."

They were silent for a moment. Then Juliet groaned. "But if we don't go now, our parents will wake and find us missing. The last thing we need is them searching for us."

Romeo huffed, his heart sinking. "It's true," he agreed with a sad nod.

Juliet stood up and stretched her stiff muscles as Romeo too rose, shaking loose grass from his coat. "When will I see you again?" Juliet asked.

Romeo smiled. "Tonight. Same time and place."

Juliet nodded. "It feels like such a long time to wait," she remarked. "A lifetime."

Romeo caressed her with his muzzle. "An eternity."

Their noses met, and they stood motionless for a long while as the sky steadily changed color, going from gray to pale blue tinged with pink. "It's getting lighter," Juliet murmured.

Romeo glanced up. "The lighter it gets, the darker our sorrows become."

Juliet moaned and pulled back, breaking their contact reluctantly to turn toward the forest. She glanced back at him and smiled. "I'll see you tonight, my love."

"Tonight," Romeo repeated with a small sigh. "I look forward to it."

Juliet nodded and then trotted away, disappearing into the trees. A moment later, Romeo followed suit.

When he emerged into the clearing a few minutes later, he found that Benvolio was already awake. His face broke into a relieved smile upon seeing his friend. "Romeo!" he said, approaching. "I was beginning to wonder if I would have to go searching for you."

Romeo shook his head. "No need. I am here."

Benvolio nodded. Then he asked, "So…how was it?"

Romeo gazed at him. "How was what?"

Benvolio rolled his eyes. "The weather, Romeo. What else would I be asking about?! Your night with Juliet! How did everything go? How did she respond to your question about Paris?"

Romeo smiled. "They are not betrothed," he replied. "And Juliet feels no love for him." He blushed a little and looked at the ground as he added, "She said I am the only stallion that she loves."

"See?" Benvolio said with a relieved laugh. "I told you there was nothing to worry about!"

Romeo chuckled. "You were right," he conceded. Then he sighed and looked around toward the other end of the clearing. Even though he couldn't see her from this distance, he knew Juliet was there, and his heart ached with the knowledge that she was so near yet out of reach. "Oh Juliet," he moaned quietly. "I miss you already."

"Wow," Benvolio remarked. "You've got it bad, Romeo."

Romeo allowed himself a small laugh. "Yes…I guess I do…"

…

When Juliet reached her normal resting spot, she lowered herself to the ground and closed her eyes, but sleep did not return to her. Instead, her mind filled with images of Romeo, and her heart fluttered. Still, she feigned sleep until her father rose and came to wake her. "Good morning, Juliet," he said with a smile. "How are you this morning? Did you sleep well?"

Juliet smiled sweetly. "I slept very well, Father, thank you," she replied, standing up. "Better than I have in a long time, in fact."

Capulet's eyes widened slightly. "Indeed?" he asked. "Well, that's good to hear."

He did not question the reason behind Juliet's rest, and she didn't elaborate.

She was grazing contentedly when Rosaline approached her a few minutes later. "So how did it go last night?" she asked without preamble.

"Wow, not even a 'good morning'?" Juliet teased.

"Good morning," Rosaline said, and Juliet laughed.

"Last night…" Juliet pondered for a moment. Then her lips curved in a small smile, and she said, "Last night was magic. There is no other word to describe it. Romeo is such a sweet and kind stallion, and being with him is like being in the presence of a god."

"Whoa…" Rosaline said, shaking her head in wonder. "I mean, yeah, he's nice and good-looking and all that, but…a god…?"

Juliet laughed. "Oh, I can't find the right words to describe it," she said.

"To describe what?"

Juliet jumped and whirled around to see Paris standing close behind her. He was smiling, but his brow was furrowed in confusion.

"Paris!" Juliet sighed. "Please don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Forgive me," Paris said, bowing his head. "It was not my intent to scare you."

"You didn't scare me," Juliet insisted with a huff. "Just…just startled me, that's all."

Behind her back, Rosaline rolled her eyes. Paris tried to conceal a grin and replied, "I see. Still, forgive me."

Juliet nodded. "Yes, well…you're forgiven. Just don't do it again."

Paris straightened and said, "So…you haven't answered my question."

Juliet blinked and exchanged a confused glance with Rosaline. "What question?"

Paris grinned. "You couldn't find the right words to describe something," he reminded her. "I asked what you were trying to describe. Perhaps I can help."

Juliet's heart missed a beat. "Oh, um…I was telling Rosaline about a dream I had last night," she invented.

"A dream?" Paris repeated thoughtfully. "What kind of dream?"

"Well…that's just the problem," Juliet said, trying to mask her mounting irritation. "I can't find a way to talk about it."

"Ah, I see," Paris said, nodding thoughtfully. "Well, it might mean something important. I mean, dreams are difficult things to interpret, but you can usually glean a lot of information from nighttime visions. In fact I had one a few nights ago. I was standing here in the clearing, and while I could see the other horses I couldn't talk to them. I tried to speak but no one heard me, and when they talked amongst themselves I couldn't hear what they said. It confused me for a while but I've been thinking about it and I think that…"

And he was off on a tangent about his dream and what he thought it meant, something about being lonely with no one who understood him or something like that. Juliet had the distinct impression that he was trying to flirt with her, hinting that she alone could cure him of his solitude, but maybe she was reading too much into his speech. Then his rambling turned to dreams in general and potential interpretations. Juliet shifted her weight uncomfortably as he talked, glancing occasionally at Rosaline, who could merely give clueless looks in exchange. She didn't know how to escape the conversation without being rude, and her patience was starting to wear thin. She knew Paris meant well, and that he was only trying to help, but still…

She sighed and allowed her thoughts to stray. An image of Romeo filled her mind, and she instantly felt better. In her waking dream, the sun was shining on his blue roan coat, and his mane and tail were dancing in the breeze. He was smiling at her, and he said her name, told her that he wanted nothing more than to love her and protect her, promised that he would always be there for her. She smiled in return and thanked him, told him she loved him. They leaned closer, their muzzles almost touching…

"Juliet? Are you all right?"

Juliet gave a small start and returned to the present with an unpleasant jolt. Paris was staring at her, brow furrowed in concern.

"Oh, I…" She felt herself blush. "I'm fine, Paris. Just…just lost in thought…" She then remembered that Paris had been talking about dreams, and she added, "That all sounds…very interesting…"

Paris nodded, but she could tell from his eyes that he knew she hadn't caught a word.

 _I'm gonna have to be more careful in the future_ , she thought as Rosaline swooped in to save the moment, distracting Paris with a clump of flowers growing nearby.

…

Romeo and Juliet met again in the woods that night, and for many nights following. Each evening they stole away from their parents once they had fallen asleep, joining together in their little clearing, where they talked, laughed, and simply reveled in their love. They would sleep side-by-side, and before sunrise the following morning they would return to the herd, impatiently waiting for the moment they could meet again. They began to live for those few cherished hours together, and as the days passed, their love grew deeper and stronger.

Only their devotion to each other made it possible for them to make it through each day. Montague could hardly fail to notice that Romeo's behavior had changed, and he often inquired about his son's well-being. Only by remembering his mate's beautiful face was Romeo able to patiently deny any problems time and time again. Likewise, Juliet put up with Paris's undying affection by thinking of Romeo, though she never allowed her thoughts to stray too far again, and she managed to maintain a polite, even kind, relationship with the chestnut stallion. But she could sense that he wanted more from her, and she knew she would never grant his wish. It bothered her, but she never told anyone, not even Romeo. The last thing she wanted to do was give her mate the impression that he had a rival.

Benvolio and Rosaline were very understanding and helped their friends out in any way they could, often changing the subject when conversations drifted into dangerous waters. Whenever Montague became insistent in discovering the source of Romeo's change, Benvolio would distract the older stallion, allowing his friend to slip away. Similarly, Rosaline was always around to save Juliet from awkward moments with Paris, often preventing ordinary moments from becoming more intimate.

One night, about a week after their first evening together, Romeo told Juliet about his father. That afternoon, Montague had cornered his son and demanded to know why he was always standing off by himself, gazing at nothing, sometimes humming a tune under his breath. Romeo had dodged the questioning, aided by Benvolio, who asked Montague about a patch of weeds he had found growing on the north side of the nearby creek, but Romeo was becoming worried. Montague certainly knew that something was amiss. How much longer could he keep the truth hidden from him?

"Has your father noticed anything?" he asked his mate. It was late at night: the moon was directly overhead. They were usually asleep by now, but their conversation had stretched far longer than normal.

Juliet shook her head. "No, I don't think so. But I don't spend a lot of time with Father." She hesitated and considered telling him about Paris, but she decided against it. "Don't worry, darling. I'm sure everything will work out."

Romeo grinned. "I hope so, Juliet. I truly hope so." He yawned. "Goodness, it's late. We really ought to get some sleep."

Juliet nodded and sighed, resting her head comfortably on Romeo's shoulder. "Good night, darling," she said, closing her eyes. "I love you."

Romeo nuzzled her. "I love you too, Juliet. Good night."

He then lowered his head, closed his eyes, and drifted into an easy, dreamless sleep.

…

The first thing he heard when he woke the next morning was someone calling his name.

"Romeo? Romeo!"

He opened his eyes and looked up, blinking blearily. "Wha…?"

Beside him, Juliet was wide awake, looking around at him with wide, frightened eyes. Her expression banished all sleepiness from him. "What's going on?" he asked.

It wasn't Juliet who answered. "You've overslept! Now come on, you've gotta get back!"

Romeo looked up and felt his heart falter. Benvolio and Rosaline were standing over them, watching with anxious eyes, occasionally glancing back in the direction of the clearing.

"Benvolio?" Romeo asked, bewildered. "What on earth are you doing here? And Rosaline too? But…" Then he noticed that the sky was much lighter than it usually was: the bright blue color of midmorning.

"Your parents are looking all over for you!" Rosaline said urgently. "They are frantic with worry! Now come on, get up and come back! We'll have to give them some excuse…"

The lovers scrambled to their feet and looked at each other nervously. "We've blown it," Romeo moaned.

"Not necessarily," Benvolio said. "But we have to get back now! Romeo, you tell your father that you woke up early and went to the stream for a drink, but you got distracted by…I don't know, a bird or something, and lost track of time. Let's face it, as often as you get distracted, it could happen. Got it?"

Romeo nodded wordlessly.

"Obviously, you'll need a different story," Rosaline said to Juliet. "Tell your father that you went for a walk last night to clear your head or something, and that you fell asleep." She sighed and shrugged. "It's not the greatest excuse in the world, I know, but under the circumstances it's the best I can come up with right now."

"It will do," Juliet assured her. She turned to her mate. "Oh Romeo…I'm sorry."

They nuzzled while their friends watched impatiently. "I'm sorry too," Romeo said quietly. "I hope…I hope that…"

"Me too," Juliet said. She bumped her nose to his and added, "Go now! I'll see you again soon!"

Romeo nodded, and without another word, he followed Benvolio through the trees toward the herd. Juliet and Rosaline followed suit, emerging minutes later into a clearing filled with horses whispering worriedly to each other and searching for the two missing horses.

"Juliet's here!" Rosaline called out, catching the attention of Capulet, Lady, and Paris. "She's here! I've got her! She's safe!"

There was a general cry of relief as Juliet's parents and Paris cantered over to them, followed closely by Prince. "Where were you?" their leader demanded. "You had your parents worried half to death!"

"I'm sorry," Juliet said with complete sincerity. "I never meant to scare you. I…" She half-glanced at Rosaline. "I couldn't sleep last night, so I went for a walk. I guess I fell asleep in the woods because the next thing I remember is Rosaline waking me up and bringing me back here."

"Oh Juliet," Capulet sighed, nuzzling his daughter. "Don't ever do that to me again, sweetheart. You have to be more careful!"

"Indeed," Paris interjected. "You could have been met by that Romeo! He was also missing this morning." He looked over at Prince. "Has he been found?"

"Yes," Prince replied, nodding. "He and his father are discussing it now. He claims he went to the stream early this morning and lost track of time."

Capulet glanced at Prince, eyes flashing, and returned his gaze to Juliet. "Did you meet Romeo in the woods?" he demanded, voice filled with concern.

"No," Juliet said, fighting to keep her voice level. "No, I…I don't think so. Like I said, I woke up when Rosaline found me, and there was no one else around then."

"I'm sure that, even had Romeo found her as she slept, he would not have done any harm to her," Prince interjected, correctly reading the worry in Lady's eyes. "He is a respectable young stallion." He looked back at Juliet. "You're sure you're fine?"

Juliet nodded. "Yes, I'm sure. Honestly, nothing happened! I just fell asleep in the woods, that's all!"

Prince, apparently satisfied, nodded and said, "Please be more careful in the future," before he turned and walked away. It took Juliet much longer to escape her parents, who sternly lectured her on the importance of being responsible for several minutes following Prince's departure. Even after she'd gotten away from Capulet and Lady, she couldn't shake Paris, who followed her as she tried to find a spot to graze.

"Paris, for the one hundredth time, I'm all right!" she exclaimed in exasperation. "I know you were all worried and I'm sorry for putting you through that, but would you please stop badgering me about it?!"

"Juliet," Paris said, his eyes burning, "I cannot let it go so easily. I keep thinking about what might have happened if that Romeo had found you while you were asleep!"

Juliet, who was immensely grateful her parents had apparently missed the connection between her disappearance and Romeo's, sighed in irritation. "Even if he had, so what? You're making him out to be some kind of monster!"

Paris's eyes flashed in anger. "He is Montague's son! You cannot trust him!"

Juliet opened her mouth to snap back but stopped herself just in time. It would be too easy for her to give Paris a better description of Romeo's character from experience. She sighed and settled instead for, "I appreciate your concern. Now please leave me alone."

And Paris obeyed…mostly. He stopped interrogating her, but he stayed close by for the rest of the day, his eyes constantly fixed on her. "Honestly," Juliet grumbled in an undertone to Rosaline, "he's worse than my parents! I can't get him to go away!"

Rosaline glanced at Paris. "How is this going to affect your rendezvous with Romeo tonight?"

Juliet sighed. She'd been thinking about that and could think of only one answer, an answer that made her heart break. "I cannot see him tonight," she whispered. "Paris has the eyes of a hawk. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he watched over me throughout the night to make sure nothing happened to me." She glanced over toward Montague's side of the clearing. "But I don't know how to let him know. I can't just go over there and tell him myself…"

Rosaline considered for a moment and then said, "I'll go. I'll talk to Benvolio. Since he seems to know about you two, I'll ask him to pass the message along."

"Oh Rosaline, thank you!" Juliet said gratefully. "You are a true friend."

Rosaline smiled. "Don't mention it."

She did as promised, finding Benvolio and delivering Juliet's message. She asked if Romeo was well, for she knew Juliet would want to know. "He's fine," Benvolio replied. "Montague yelled at him a bit, but he's fine. It's probably for the best, not meeting tonight. He's watching Romeo so closely…"

Rosaline nodded. "I thought that would be the case. Well, let him know of Juliet's message, and thank you."

"I will. You're welcome," Benvolio replied, and with that, they parted.

Benvolio relayed Juliet's message to his friend only minutes later. Romeo sighed. He wasn't surprised. Even having denied to Prince that he had met Juliet on his morning stroll, their leader was not foolish. He couldn't risk putting either himself or Juliet in such a position again. Yes. It was best if they waited for a while to see each other again.

The knowledge did nothing to lift his spirits.

…

Juliet retired early that night, claiming to be tired. In reality, she wanted to be alone, and that was the only excuse she could come up with that would get Paris away from her. It worked: as she settled on the ground, the chestnut wished her a good night and walked away, glancing back once in concern. Once he was out of sight, Juliet allowed the tears she'd been holding back all day to finally fall. It was a long time before she actually managed to fall asleep.

Paris tried to graze but found that he was not hungry. He kept thinking about Juliet, about how worried he'd been, how frantic…she'd been gone and no one knew where. She could have been killed by a wildcat or wolves, or stolen away by another stallion…

He looked around toward Montague's end of the clearing. From his distance he couldn't see Romeo, but he knew the stallion was there, probably grazing without a care in the world, unknowing and uncaring that he, Paris, was sick with fear for the mare he loved. If Romeo had encountered Juliet in the woods…if they'd met…or if he'd come upon her as she slept…

…what? What could have happened?

He made up his mind in an instant. He turned and marched up to where Capulet and Lady were standing, deep in discussion. "Excuse me," he said, inclining his head respectfully. "There is something I need to discuss with you."

"Yes, Paris?" Capulet inquired. "What is it?"

Paris took a deep breath. "I would like your blessing to take Juliet as my mate."

Capulet's eyes widened, and he exchanged startled looks with his equally-surprised mate. "Paris, you know I would love nothing more than for you and Juliet to be mates," he said. "But isn't this a bit sudden? Have you discussed this with Juliet?"

"No," Paris admitted, "but sir, with all due respect, it is for Juliet's safety and wellbeing that I am asking."

Capulet frowned. "I'm afraid I don't follow."

"I keep thinking about what might have happened last night while Juliet was in the woods," Paris explained. "How easily something might have happened to her…"

"Yes," Capulet interjected, and there was a slightly stiff, cool note to his voice. "We've considered that as well."

"Well," Paris plunged on, "I was thinking that, if she had a mate, he would be able to protect her. He could keep her safe from harm, safe from the creatures of the forests and…" He hesitated for half a second. He almost said, "from rogues like Romeo," but he remembered Capulet's reaction to seeing the young stallion at the party and said instead, "…from other stallions that might try to steal her away." There was a pause as Capulet observed him thoughtfully. Paris added, with a hint of desperation in his voice now, "Sir, I love her. I love her with all my heart. I swear I would keep her safe. I would love her and protect her. I would lay down my very life for her."

Capulet looked to Lady, who gazed back, her face impassive. She flicked an ear, and he nodded, understanding. Paris held his breath.

"Very well, Paris. You have my blessing. We will talk to Prince about it in the morning."

Paris beamed, feeling as though his heart had swelled to twice its normal size. "Thank you, sir. Thank you so much."

 **A/N: Things are about to get complicated…**

 **Hope you're enjoying it! Please leave a review to tell me what you think! Next chapter will be up on Tuesday (provided of course I don't forget again…).**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: If you've wondered what caused the feud between Montague and Capulet, then wonder no longer. The answers await you in this chapter. Enjoy!**

Chapter Six

Romeo did not sleep well that night. He had grown accustomed to feeling Juliet's warm body beside his own, and her absence left him feeling cold and incomplete. He tossed and turned fitfully, trying to block the thoughts and images that were piling up in his mind but unable to stem the flow. Juliet filled his brain and would not let him rest. What little sleep he did get was light and filled with vivid dreams, and when the sun rose the next morning, he felt as though he hadn't slept a moment.

Throughout the day, Romeo waited anxiously to hear from his beloved. Was she planning on spending tonight with him? Or was she still being watched too closely? He feared the latter; indeed, Montague was keeping an eye on him, and he never seemed to be more than a few feet away at any given time. At about midday, Romeo asked Benvolio, "Would you go ask Rosaline if Juliet will meet me tonight? The waiting is killing me."

Benvolio nodded, giving his friend a sympathetic glance before trotting off to find the pretty Appaloosa. He returned a few minutes later, shaking his head. "Sorry, Romeo," he said. "She says she's still being watched. It would be unwise for her to leave the clearing again." He hesitated before adding, "She said it might be several days before suspicions are eased enough for her to meet you."

"Several days?" Romeo repeated, a note of desperation filling his voice. He looked at the ground. There was a particularly tasty-looking patch of grass at his feet, but he wasn't feeling hungry and made no move to eat. Instead, he yawned widely and said, "I need her by my side, Benvolio. I…I've become dependent on her. When she's not with me, I feel…so empty. Like a piece of my heart is missing."

Benvolio sighed in sympathy. "Rosaline said that Juliet is feeling the same way," he said. "She was murmuring your name in her sleep a lot last night, apparently. What little sleep she got, anyway."

Romeo groaned. "What am I going to do, Benvolio?" he asked. "What _can_ I do?"

Benvolio had no answer for him.

…

Prince listened to Capulet and Paris explain their agreement with rapt attention, and when they had finished, he nodded. "Very well. Of course you have my permission, Paris. Juliet is Capulet's daughter and therefore his blessing is all you need." He looked from one to the other and then asked, "But does Juliet know of this? I notice she is not here with you."

"Um…no," Paris admitted. "I will tell her soon. Right now, though…" He glanced over to where the beautiful red mare stood. She was gazing at the ground with apparent disinterest, as though she was ill. Rosaline was beside her, murmuring to her, but if Juliet noticed or cared she gave no sign. "Something is wrong," Paris continued, turning back to Prince. "Something is bothering her, and she won't tell me what it is."

 _And I'll bet it has something to do with that Romeo_ , he thought savagely. _If I ever find out that he did something to my sweet Juliet…_

"I'll broach the subject when she's feeling better," he concluded.

Prince tossed his head. "This is probably wise," he agreed. "All right, Paris. When you feel she is ready, then you may take Juliet as your mate. I wish you both every happiness."

Paris smiled, feeling again as though his heart might burst with joy. "Thank you, Prince." He bowed and then trotted away, toward the spot where Juliet and Rosaline stood. At the sound of his approach, Juliet looked up, and her eyes flashed. It was over so quickly that he wasn't sure he'd seen it at all, but Paris rather thought he'd noticed a trace of irritation in that moment. He sighed inwardly. This might take a while.

…

Romeo slept no better that night, or the night after. After three consecutive nights with minimal rest, he was feeling extremely lethargic. Grazing offered him no satisfaction, so he would simply stand staring at nothing, sometimes managing to take quick naps in the sun. Benvolio tried to cheer him up, but his efforts were in vain and he soon gave up. Every day, Romeo asked his friend to see if Juliet was prepared to risk leaving the clearing, but each time he returned with the same answer: no, not yet.

Of course, Montague could hardly fail to notice that his son was acting even more strangely than he had before his early-morning stroll. He would often frown in confusion and obvious worry as he observed Romeo sleeping fitfully or just standing motionless, his eyes glassy and unseeing.

After three days of this, Montague decided to find out what was wrong. He waited until Benvolio wasn't around – the paint colt had gotten in the way one time too many – and approached his son as he stared into the trees, his tail drooping and ears tilted back listlessly. "Romeo?" he said, and the young stallion jumped and looked around.

"Oh. Hello, Father," he said quietly.

Montague reached out to bump his son's shoulder good-naturedly. Romeo did not return the gesture or even crack a smile. "Romeo, what's troubling you?" he asked. "I'm very worried about you. What has happened to make you so…so lifeless?"

At this, Romeo looked up at his father. "Lifeless?" he repeated blankly. "Do I really seem like that to you?"

Montague nodded. "Yes, and it scares me. It's as though you've left and been replaced with a horse I don't even know. Where has my son gone?"

Romeo forced himself to smile. "Oh, you know…he's around somewhere…"

Montague didn't smile back. "Romeo, I'm serious. I've been concerned for some time now, but for the past few days…" He nuzzled the stallion's shoulder. "I'm scared, Romeo. I'm scared for you. Please…please tell me what's been causing this drastic change in you."

Romeo gazed at his father with pity, knowing full well that he couldn't be completely open and honest with him. So he settled for a half-truth. "I'm sorry, Father. I just haven't been sleeping well lately."

Montague cocked his head slightly. "Bad dreams?" he inquired.

Romeo thought about his dreams, those that filled his few moments of rest. Images of Juliet, always just out of reach, beckoning to him, calling for him, sobbing and screaming his name, and him completely unable to help…

"Yeah…I guess you could say that…"

Montague shook his head slowly. "Are you sure that's all? There isn't…I don't know, anything else that you're not telling me?"

Thinking his father was too perceptive, Romeo denied it. "I'm not hiding anything from you, Father," he insisted, too tired to really give his voice the firmness it needed.

Montague frowned, not sure if he was willing to believe Romeo's words, but he decided to let it go for now. "When did these bad dreams begin?" he asked.

Romeo shrugged. "I don't know…a few nights ago? A week, maybe?"

Montague considered him. "About the time you went to Capulet's party?"

Romeo's heart stuttered. Fighting to keep his voice level, he said as nonchalantly as he could, "Yeah, I guess."

Montague huffed. "Romeo, are you sure that none of Capulet's family did anything to you that night? Ever since that party you've acted strangely, and even though you said nothing happened…from the way you've been carrying on I can't help but think that something did happen, something that you're not telling me about."

Romeo looked up at him, and for the first time in quite a while, Montague saw the smoldering beginnings of a fire in his son's eyes.

"What happened that night, son? What did Capulet or his family do to you at that party?"

"Nothing!" Romeo burst out. "For the love of Equus, nothing happened that night, Father! I have told you that over and over again! When are you going to believe me? Capulet never even approached me. The only horses I met that night were Rosaline and Capulet's daughter Juliet—"

Montague stiffened. "His daughter? You met Juliet that night?"

"Yes," Romeo said, suddenly horrified. He'd said much more than he'd meant to. "And…and she was very nice. We shared a dance and that was it. I…I didn't know who she was until afterward." Then, more because his father was staring at him with suspicion than anything else, he added defensively, "Why are you so determined to pin something on Capulet? What happened between you two that I don't know about?"

Montague paused for a second before he snorted. "That is irrelevant—"

"No," Romeo interrupted. Now that the subject had been brought up, he was genuinely curious. What was it that kept his Juliet away from him? What was the dread secret that divided them? "I'm tired of you worming your way out of telling me the truth, Father. What started this feud between you two? How did it begin? What did Capulet ever do to you to warrant such hatred and suspicion?"

Montague regarded him for a moment. "Romeo," he began, "it was such a long time ago…I'd much rather not get into it…"

"If it was so long ago, then why does your hatred still burn so fiercely?" Romeo asked. "It's obvious there is something in your past, something the two of you share, something that has driven you two to such a state of enmity that it tears our herd apart. It doesn't just involve the two of you, Father. Everyone – myself included – is affected by your fighting. And I think it's high time I found out why."

Romeo fell silent, waiting. Montague stared at him, hesitating, battling with himself over how much he should tell, if anything at all.

And then he sighed. "All right, you win."

He looked around, gazing off into space, watching something that Romeo couldn't see. "We weren't always enemies, Capulet and I," he began. "In fact, we used to be the best of friends."

Romeo stared at him, stunned. His father and Capulet, best friends? The very concept was absurd!

"Yes," Montague chuckled at his son's obvious shock. "It is true. Whatever our issues now, we used to be inseparable." He took a deep breath, his eyes clouding with memories. "We grew up in the same herd. We would pass every day away with fun and games, not a care in the world. When we became of age, our leader ordered us away, as some stallions do, and we travelled together, determined to never be parted. We found this herd, and Prince welcomed us graciously. For a while, everything seemed perfect…"

Montague's smile faded slightly. "Well…Capulet had a twin sister. Livia. And she…she had never been a strong horse. She was always so frail, fragile…always in questionable health…Capulet worried constantly about her and loved her dearly, and she him. So when he and I left the herd, she accompanied us, guarded closely by her brother.

"But her brother wasn't the only reason Livia left her home herd with us. You see…she was in love…with me."

Montague shook his head sadly. "It was an unrequited love, I'm afraid. She adored me, but I never saw her as any more than a dear friend. Oh I cared about her, certainly, but more as a sister and not a lover. I never told her or Capulet this. I was afraid of hurting her. But perhaps it would have been kinder to be honest with them from the beginning. Perhaps if I had been, then…" He trailed off, lost for a moment in his memories. Romeo said nothing but waited for his father to continue.

After a moment, Montague went on, "Anyway, Capulet, Livia, and I joined this herd with Prince's blessing, and for a while everything was great. And then…I met a mare. A beautiful mare. More beautiful than any I had ever seen. Her name was Verona." He heard Romeo's quiet intake of breath and nodded. "Yes, Romeo…your mother.

"It was love at first sight. She was so lovely, so sweet, so perfect that I was smitten the moment we met. And I was lucky enough to receive her love in return. But you see, there was a problem. One day, Capulet pulled me aside to ask a tremendous favor from me. He knew how much Livia loved me and wanted to know if I would take her to be my mate. And, weak fool that I was, I said yes. Equus forgive me, I promised to be Livia's mate, even though I didn't love her and had fallen for Verona instead. But I just…I didn't want to hurt Livia or Capulet, and I was a coward…so I said yes."

He sighed. "Verona and I discussed the problem and decided to see each other in secret. I don't know what I hoped to accomplish," he added with a chuckle. "I knew eventually I'd either have to be bonded with Livia or abandon her, and neither prospect seemed appealing, but I suppose I thought that I'd have time to figure out a solution. Perhaps I hoped Livia would tire of waiting for me to ask her and find another stallion. Regardless, Verona and I tried to keep our love a secret for as long as possible. Of course…" He let out a hollow laugh. "…some secrets just can't stay hidden, no matter how hard you try…

"One day, when I slipped away from the herd to meet Verona in the woods, Livia saw me. Curious as to where I was going, she followed, and she witnessed me and Verona exchange words and gestures of love. I don't know how long she stood there watching us, for I didn't know she had seen us until we returned to the herd…where Capulet was waiting for us.

"He was furious. I…I had never seen him so angry before. It was…rather frightening. He started to call me all kinds of foul things, using language I'd never heard from him. It was as though he was a totally different horse. He accused me of the worst betrayal, of playing his sister false, of treachery beyond anything he'd believed possible.

"And then…he insulted Verona…" He shook his head. "I…won't repeat what he said about her to you, son. It is better that you don't hear those terrible words. Just know that he shamed my beloved with the foulest words a stallion can utter. And I became so furious that he would be so cruel and callous that I attacked him."

Montague looked over toward the other side of the clearing, where Capulet and his family were spending a peaceful day, unaware that only a short distance away, the bitter history of their feud was being relayed upon the next generation.

"It was a bitter, violent fight," Montague said calmly. "I was furious, but Capulet was stronger than my fury, and I had no hope of fighting back. I would surely have been seriously injured at least, if not outright killed, if Livia hadn't come between us. With tears streaming down her face, she begged her brother not to harm me. As betrayed as she felt by my actions, as heartbroken as she was, she still loved me and didn't want to see me hurt. 'If you love me,' she said, 'then don't hurt him. Every wound you inflict on him leaves a scar on my heart. Please, my brother, I beg of you: do not hurt him.'

"Capulet submitted, but he never spoke to me again, unless of course he was insulting me. And when he looked at me, his eyes were filled with a horrible fire, a fire that only those who have known true hatred can procure.

"And then a few days later, Livia was dead. Her heart, already so fragile, couldn't cope with what I'd done to her, and her grief killed her."

Montague closed his eyes, his face twisted with ancient agony. "After she died, Capulet attacked me again. He told me that it was my fault she was dead, that my lies and deceit had stolen her away from him. Another fight began, a bitter brawl that Prince had to break up, and he's been breaking them up ever since.

"Yet even with my best friend turned against me and my other dear friend dead, I thought I might be allowed some happiness. After all, I still had Verona, who stood beside me through it all, her love for me never wavering. A year later, Verona gave birth to you, Romeo, and my world, which I'd thought shattered with Livia's death and Capulet's rage, seemed complete again. But then Verona fell ill and died, with you only a few months old. And with her went half of my world."

Montague sighed, and a single tear slid down his cheek. Romeo stared at him, still too stunned to make a sound.

"That is why Capulet and I are such enemies, my son. That is why we cannot exchange even a single civil word. He has never forgiven me for betraying his sister and then, in his eyes, killing her. And I have never forgiven him for the terrible things he said about Verona." He smiled wryly. "I do not think either of us will ever be able to move past what happened. The wounds run so deep and left such angry scars that I don't believe our feud will ever end."

"Father…" Romeo managed to breathe. "That's…that's terrible…"

Montague nodded and studied his son. He smiled. "You look a lot like her, you know," he remarked. "Your mother. You remind me of her. You have her sweet disposition, her kind heart…and her eyes…"

Romeo blinked and looked down, suddenly unable to meet his father's gaze.

Montague reached out to nuzzle him. "And now you know, my son," he said sadly. "Now you know my great and terrible sin. I hope you can forgive me." He closed his eyes, muzzle still lightly pressed into Romeo's shoulder. "I love you, Romeo. You are my entire world. You are all that is left of the life I once had, the life that might have been but was taken too soon from me. So please, if there is anything at all that you want to talk about, come to me. You can tell me anything, and I will help in any way I can. You are my son, and you mean the world to me."

There was a long, uncomfortable silence. Then Romeo nuzzled Montague and whispered, "I love you too, Father. And…I forgive you."

Montague nickered wordlessly.

…

Later that afternoon, Romeo said to Benvolio, "Go talk to Rosaline. Tell her to ask Juliet to meet me again tonight. I know it's a risk, but…I have to see her again. I must speak with her. Please…tell her for me, Benvolio. Tell her that my very welfare depends on her."

Benvolio nodded and rushed off to find Rosaline, leaving Romeo alone with his thoughts.

 _Forbidden love_ , he thought to himself. _What my parents shared was forbidden. What Juliet and I have too is forbidden._

He remembered what his father had said: "Some secrets just can't stay hidden, no matter how hard you try…"

 _What will happen when our secret is revealed?_ Romeo wondered. _Could our love be the very thing needed to end the feud between our fathers? Is it possible that the bond between me and Juliet will be enough to overcome the past and bring peace to the herd?_

 _Or will this forbidden love only drive our families further apart…?_

 **A/N: We're officially halfway through! Six out of twelve chapters complete! Chapter Seven will be up on Friday. See you then!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Here's the new chapter. Hope you enjoy!**

Chapter Seven

Benvolio found Rosaline grazing at a spot near the center of the clearing, and for a moment the paint colt was brought up short. The sun was shining directly overhead, glistening and reflecting off the Appaloosa's storm-gray coat, every spot on her hindquarters seeming to leap right off her hide…

Benvolio shook himself mentally and approached her. She looked up at the sound of his hoofsteps and her ears twitched. She smiled gently, and Benvolio found himself suddenly robbed of the ability to speak. "Good afternoon," Rosaline said. "You have a message from Romeo?"

"Uh…" Benvolio blinked a couple of times. "Yes. He says to tell Juliet to meet him tonight. He knows it's a risk, but he must speak to her. He says his very welfare depends on her."

Rosaline's eyes widened slightly. "Wow," she remarked, sounding a little sad. "Don't worry, I'll tell her." She half-turned as if to go, but then she paused, returning her eyes to the paint colt, whose heart seemed to stutter. "Benvolio…do you…I mean…" She hesitated. "Do you think there's any hope that, well…that everything will work out?"

Benvolio gazed at her for several silent seconds before he tossed his head. "I…don't know, Rosaline," he admitted. "With their fathers hating each other so much, and with Paris still courting her…I just don't know…"

Rosaline's ears flattened, but by her expression he knew she had half-expected his answer. She said nothing but turned and trotted off to pass along Romeo's message. Benvolio watched her depart, feeling first a little sad to see her go and then bewildered that he should feel so.

 _Romeo's gloom is starting to wear off on you_ , he thought, shaking his head and turning around. Romeo was standing exactly where he'd left him, eyes glazed over, clearly deep in thought.

"I've told Rosaline," Benvolio informed him.

Romeo flicked an ear to acknowledge he'd heard but said nothing. Benvolio, sensing that his friend needed to be alone with his thoughts and didn't want to talk at the moment, walked away. He lowered his head to graze but soon found himself staring at the bright green grass, no longer the least bit hungry.

"Not you too."

Benvolio looked up to see Montague standing nearby, looking at him with a weary frown on his face. "What do you mean?"

"You're starting to act like Romeo," the palomino stallion informed him with a faint snort. "Listless, sullen, refusing to eat, staring off into space…please tell me it's not contagious. It's bad enough not knowing what ails my son; the last thing I need is to see it spreading."

"Oh." Benvolio straightened. "Sorry, Montague. I was just thinking, that's all."

"Thinking," Montague repeated tonelessly. "I see. And if I were to ask about what, you would say…?"

Frantically casting his mind about for a suitable subject, Benvolio accidentally blurted out the truth. "Rosaline."

Montague's eyes widened in surprise, and Benvolio felt himself blush. Sweet Equus Above, did he really just say that out loud?

"Rosaline?" Montague asked, and he smiled a little. "Well, well…I guess I should have seen it coming. I mean, you have been seeing her a lot lately, haven't you?"

Benvolio gaped. Montague had noticed their daily message exchange? And he'd interpreted it as…as the meeting of two lovers? Oh how messed up this was all getting! Montague had the entirely wrong idea of what was going on, and he couldn't even correct him without giving away the secret he'd been entrusted with…!

 _But is he so wrong?_ said a little voice in the back of his mind. _You've been thinking about her ever since passing on Romeo's message. And face it: you've started to look forward to those brief moments you get to spend in her presence. After all, she is kind and sweet-hearted and smart and funny, not to mention very pretty…_

Montague chuckled, bringing Benvolio back to reality, the heat of humiliation creeping into his face. "There's no need to be so embarrassed," the palomino told him. "There's no shame in being in love. Oh don't worry, I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to. I can only imagine what Romeo would say if he…" He trailed off, his eyes widening in sudden understanding. Benvolio, thinking that things possibly couldn't get worse, was quickly proven wrong when Montague asked, "Do you think…is it possible…is Romeo in love too? Is that why he's acting so out of sorts?"

Benvolio had no idea how to respond. All he wanted was to escape this conversation. He desperately needed some time to sort through his own confused and muddled thoughts, and Montague's perceptive questioning was pecking away at his defenses. "I don't know," he said after a moment. "I mean…he hasn't told me anything about it if he is."

"Hmm," Montague hummed, glancing over at Romeo, who hadn't moved at all in the past several minutes. He wondered for a moment if he ought to ask his son outright, but he decided against it. Surely that would only push him further away if he didn't want to talk about it. If Romeo had found a mare to love, then he would speak when he was ready, not a moment before.

He pawed the ground once and then said, "Well, Benvolio, I wish you the best of luck with Rosaline." He chuckled at the paint colt's expression and walked away, his head buzzing with new possibilities, wondering who his son could possibly be in love with, if such was the case at all. For his part, Benvolio stared after Montague as he departed, his brain so full of disjointed and befuddled thoughts that he couldn't even begin to make sense of it all.

…

When Rosaline told her that Romeo would meet her that night, Juliet considered telling her to return with a message saying that there was no way they could. While Paris was no longer trailing her every move, he always seemed uncomfortably close, and she wasn't certain that she could escape his gaze even for a moment. But she hesitated, thinking of how much she missed her mate and how greatly she longed to be in his presence again. And hadn't Rosaline said something about Romeo's very welfare depending on seeing her tonight?

So she'd agreed, and the prospect of seeing her beloved's face again filled her with such a joy that the very day seemed brighter. Even Paris's proximity couldn't dampen her spirits. And as for slipping away from his watchful eye, well…she would worry about that when the time came.

As it turned out, escaping the herd was easier than she'd anticipated. Paris fell asleep fairly quickly, and once she was sure her mother and father were likewise unconscious, she fled the clearing, her heart pounding with anticipation.

Romeo was waiting for her when she emerged into the little glen. His face broke in a broad smile at the sight of her. "Juliet…" he breathed, the sound soft yet filled with a universe's worth of emotion.

"Romeo!" Juliet cried, running to him and burying her head in his chest. "Oh Romeo! I've missed you so much, my love!"

"I've missed you too," Romeo replied softly, his voice shaking slightly as he caressed her neck and back with his muzzle. "I didn't know it was possible to miss someone as much as I've missed you these last few days, my sweet Juliet. My heart does not beat when you're not beside me, and my brain forgets how to function. Without you I am nothing, just the semblance of a horse but not the real thing. Only here by your side am I truly alive."

Juliet blinked tears out of her eyes and gazed fondly up at her mate. "Romeo…I…I…" She giggled a little breathlessly. "I don't even know what to say! My thoughts and feelings are all beyond the power of speech. Mere words can't adequately describe how much I've missed you, how happy I am to be with you again, and how dearly I love you. Oh Romeo…"

For several minutes – they were never sure how long exactly – they simply stood there, basking in their joy at being reunited. With the night pressing against them and hiding them from view, with the silence deafening them to the forest around them, it was easy to believe, just for a moment, that there was nothing separating them, that nothing was wrong, that nothing in all the world could drive them apart…

But they both knew better, and at length Romeo drew back, his smile fading. "Juliet, there is something I need to tell you, something I've found out…"

And so he told her what his father had explained to him that day. As the root of their fathers' feud was revealed to her at last, Juliet's expression went from confused to shocked, and then to aggrieved. When Romeo had finished she murmured, "I can't believe it…my father never mentioned having a sister…and she was betrothed to your father…"

"Who loved another mare in secret," Romeo added, tossing his head in agitation. "Juliet, have you heard the saying that those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it?"

"Yes," Juliet replied slowly. "But what do you—"

"What my father and mother shared was forbidden," Romeo explained, his voice taking on an urgent note, "and so is what we have between us. My parents kept their forbidden romance a secret for as long as they could, but no secret can stay hidden forever, and their love tore the herd apart when it came to light. And now here we stand, keeping our love a secret to all except our closest friends. Juliet, this secret won't stay in darkness forever. Sooner or later, someone will discover us. And I can't help but worry about what will happen when that day comes."

Juliet shuddered. "My father will be furious," she said quietly. "As will Paris…but Romeo, what do you suggest? What can we do about it?"

Romeo hesitated for a moment or two, as if steeling himself. Then he said slowly, cautiously, "I was thinking…perhaps…we should announce our union to the herd."

Juliet gaped at him. "Romeo, have you lost your mind?!" she cried. "My father will attack you! And do you think your own father would approve, knowing how he feels about mine? Why would you—"

"Because I can't keep doing this!" Romeo said, and there was such passion in his voice that Juliet was taken momentarily aback. "Juliet, this secret is killing me! Having to keep the most wonderful thing that's ever happened to me from my father, who means the world to me, is driving me to madness! I can't keep up the pretense that all is well when it isn't. And my father has noticed something wrong. He knows I'm hiding something, Juliet. And I don't want to hide it from him anymore! He's my father, and whatever his past sins I hate keeping this from him. I know you're worried, my love," he added, softening his voice a little. "And I am too. I know only too well what kind of reaction this will get from our fathers. But isn't it better for them to learn from us than by accident?"

Juliet considered for a moment. "I suppose so," she admitted. "But that doesn't mean the results will be any different. Romeo, my father absolutely despises yours. Knowing that I'm your mate will infuriate him!"

"Then we'll go to Prince for protection," Romeo said, and Juliet blinked, surprised. "We'll ask for his asylum and blessing. Don't you think he would love to hear of this?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that the son of Montague and the daughter of Capulet will be publicly joined as one," Romeo explained. "A union between two feuding families at last. I know it's a long shot, but I think there's a chance that our love might be the thing to draw our parents together, to put this terrible hatred in the past for good. Isn't love the only thing that can destroy hate?"

Juliet stared up at him, her face unreadable as she processed all her beloved had proposed and suggested. She still thought it was a tremendous risk, and yet she knew he was right: their secret was bound to be revealed sooner or later. They'd been lucky so far, but there had already been more than one near-miss. How many more could they endure before the game was up? And at any rate, she understood what Romeo meant. She too was tired of hiding her love from her family. Romeo was her mate. She loved him with all her heart. How wonderful it would be to be able to stand next to him in the clearing, surrounded by their family and friends, free to relax and not have to worry about anyone discovering them, not having to limit their time together to a few scant hours in the night but to have him by her side every hour of every day for the rest of their lives…

"All right," she said after a while. "I trust you, Romeo. If you think it best, then I will do whatever I can to help. I just hope and pray that you're right."

"Me too," Romeo admitted. "I understand how risky this is, Juliet, but I really see no other way."

"Nor do I," Juliet agreed, nodding. "When should we approach Prince?"

"Tomorrow, after midday," Romeo answered, "after he wakes up from his nap. Benvolio told me once that he is most agreeable after he has rested." He grinned slightly, and even Juliet managed a giggle. "Just know that…whatever happens tomorrow, whether this works or not, I love you, Juliet. That will never change."

"I love you too, Romeo," Juliet replied, leaning forward and pressing herself into his warm body. "With all my heart and soul. No matter what."

"No matter what," Romeo echoed, and silence fell between them, a blissful, happy, yet somehow tense silence that resounded with their uncertainty.

…

Benvolio echoed Juliet's concerns when Romeo told him the next morning of their plan. "Are you sure about this?" he asked. "I can think of about a hundred different ways this can go wrong, and all of them include your fathers getting into yet another fight. You haven't forgotten what my father promised to do if they fought again, have you?"

"No, of course not," Romeo replied quietly. The threat of banishment still hung over the herd like a thick, cloying fog. "I understand the risks, but I don't know what else to do. If you have a better idea, I'm all ears."

Benvolio considered for several minutes before hanging his head in defeat. "Okay. I guess you're right. I just hope my father will be willing to listen. When do you plan to talk to him?"

"After his nap." Romeo smiled weakly. "I haven't forgotten."

Benvolio chuckled. "Perhaps this is best. I mean, it has to come out sometime, doesn't it? And I guess there is always the chance that everything will be all right…"

He seemed to be trying to convince himself as well as Romeo, though neither of them totally believed it. It seemed far more likely that the afternoon would be filled with yells and accusations of betrayal than reconciliation. But no matter how often Romeo went over his own arguments in his head, the results were always the same. Better to come clean now of their own accord than face the inevitability of someone else finding out. As for what would happen…well, they would soon find out.

 _No matter what happens_ , he thought, _I will always love you, Juliet. And I will find a way to be with you._

"Hey, um…do you think Juliet's told Rosaline about the plan?" Benvolio asked suddenly, shaking Romeo from his musings.

"Uh…I have no idea," Romeo said, frowning slightly. His friend wasn't looking at him, and there was a too-innocent expression on his face.

"Mm," Benvolio hummed, still far too calm to be believed. "Well, perhaps I ought to talk to her, make sure she's aware of it, don't you think?"

"I…suppose so."

Benvolio nodded and walked off, leaving Romeo to gaze after him in confusion. He found Rosaline grazing by herself and felt his heart give a little leap at the sight of her. He took a deep breath to calm himself and approached. "Hey there."

Rosaline looked up, and again Benvolio felt as though all the air was sucked from his lungs. She smiled, though the expression seemed rather halfhearted and distracted. "Hello, Benvolio," she said. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Benvolio replied, though his voice was a little higher in pitch than usual. He cleared his throat, blushing, and went on quickly, "So has Juliet talked to you about her and Romeo's plan?"

Rosaline flicked an ear. "Yes, she did." She sounded uneasy. "They really mean to talk to Prince about their love…announce their union to the entire herd…it's utterly insane." She stomped a hoof in agitation. "What could have possibly possessed them to think this was a good idea? Even if Prince does offer them protection, surely their fathers aren't going to simply accept it and move on! And then what? Another battle between Montague and Capulet? Another bitter fight that will result in their banishment?"

Benvolio huffed quietly, feeling his stomach squirm as she put his worst fears to words. Then he shook his head and said, "But what if they're right? I mean it's obvious they love each other. So what if Montague and Capulet see that and realize how stupid the whole fight's been from the beginning? What if Romeo and Juliet's love is the only thing that can bring them together and end the hatred once and for all?"

Rosaline stared at him and said nothing. Her gaze was so intense that Benvolio felt his cheeks flare with heat, and he looked down at his hooves. After a moment Rosaline smiled and murmured, "Well…I never took you for the romantic type, Benvolio. Do you really think such a thing is possible?"

Benvolio returned his eyes to hers and nodded firmly. "Yes, I do. Love…love is a powerful thing, and with it anything is possible."

Rosaline didn't know how to reply.

 **A/N: It's about to get real…**

 **Hope you're enjoying the story! Please leave a review and tell me what you think! Next chapter will be up on Tuesday.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hope you enjoy!**

Chapter Eight

The sun rose above the clearing, bathing it in golden light and filling the air with warmth. Romeo and Juliet, standing on opposite ends of the herd, watched in silence as it inched higher into the sky, finally reaching its peak at midday. As predicted, Prince ensured that all was well before settling down for a brief rest, falling into a peaceful and much-needed sleep. Benvolio, who had agreed to watch for the moment his father awakened, stood nearby, ready to run to Romeo the moment the stallion woke. Rosaline stood beside him, waiting as well to deliver the go-ahead to Juliet. Neither of them spoke, their heads too full of what was coming to allow for simple conversation.

The minutes crept by with unbearable slowness, each second an eternity, the afternoon a never-ending stretch of boundless time. Romeo started pacing with impatient unease, glancing frequently over toward his sleeping leader and best friend for some sign that the moment to act had finally come. His heart thudded heavily, and his lungs felt as though they were being squeezed by unseen restraints. One way or another, everything was about to change, and the wait was torture.

And then, at long last, Prince stirred and rose to his feet, shaking himself to rid his coat of loose grass and dirt. Benvolio and Rosaline looked to each other, nodded once, and departed in opposite directions. Romeo's ears perked and he froze in mid-step as he watched the paint colt trot toward him. He came to a stop, and the two horses gazed at each other in silence for a second or two.

Then Benvolio stomped his hoof and said, "It's time."

Romeo opened his mouth to reply, could think of nothing to say, and closed his jaws with a snap. Instead he let out a soft grunt and started toward the spot where Prince now stood grazing contentedly. Looking past him, he saw Juliet also approaching, her head high and her steps sure. He felt a swell of affection for her and quickened his pace. She was there, just a few yards away, his precious Juliet. Surely nothing could go wrong if she was by his side…

He would quite soon be proven wrong.

He and Juliet were mere feet away from Prince when a trumpeting call pierced the quiet of the day. All heads turned to see a massive black stallion emerging from the forest. He cantered toward the spot where Romeo and Juliet were converging on Prince. The two lovers, sensing that something terrible was about to happen, retreated a few paces, leaving the newcomer's path clear. Prince looked up, his ears flattening against his head in warning. It was a warning that went unheeded as the stranger approached. From where he stood, Romeo saw the horse's eyes flit over to Juliet, and he nickered a greeting to her. Romeo felt his heart burn with jealous rage but did nothing, waiting to see what would happen in the coming moments.

The black came to a stop before the lead stallion and let out another piercing whinny. The sound was lost at the end by a racking cough that made his sides heave. Prince said nothing but waited for the stranger to make his purpose known.

"I am Tybalt," the horse said once his coughing fit passed. "And I challenge you for this herd."

The moment he was through speaking, another volley of coughs shook his frame. Prince observed him with a frown on his face, clearly thinking this stallion must be insane to attempt challenging him while he was in such a sorry state. When Tybalt had finished coughing again, he said, "Go away, boy. You are young and foolish. You are clearly not well and need to let your body recover before subjecting it to a battle."

Tybalt snorted. "Do not patronize me, old nag. I am perfectly capable of defeating you, with or without a fever. Do you accept my challenge or not?"

Prince sighed wearily. "Your fever makes you unwise. But very well, if you insist. I accept."

Tybalt huffed in anticipation, casting his eye once more to where Juliet stood watching nervously. He grinned and flicked an ear toward her, a silent compliment that went unacknowledged. Again Romeo wanted to jump to her defense, but he held himself back. The fight was between Tybalt and Prince, and he couldn't interfere. All he could do was watch…and hope.

Tybalt was the first to attack, lunging forward with teeth bared. Prince met the attack and countered it, lashing out with his hooves and beating the challenger back. Tybalt snarled with rage and whirled around to buck, but Prince was faster, dodging out of the way and responding with a well-aimed kick of his own.

Romeo tore his gaze from the battle to glance at Juliet, whose eyes were likewise fixed on him. In that moment they exchanged silent worries. They hadn't counted on this. They hadn't figured on having to deal with a fight. What if Tybalt won and Prince was removed from power? What then? Or even if Tybalt was defeated, would Prince be willing to listen to them after dealing with a feverish, haughty stallion? Should they perhaps wait for a better time to approach their leader with their revelations?

In the end, the decision was taken from them. With a scream of rage and pain, Tybalt fell at Prince's feet, panting and bleeding from numerous cuts and gashes. He coughed again, the sound filled with bitter disappointment, embarrassment, and anger. Prince snorted and waited for the black to fall silent before saying calmly, "You ought to have heeded my warning. In the future try to use your head before challenging another stallion." And with that he turned away, convinced the matter was over and done with.

He couldn't imagine that Tybalt, infuriated by his defeat and the flippant way his opponent had dealt with him, would rise to his feet, turn around, and charge at the nearest mare to him.

Juliet cried out in terror as Tybalt rushed toward her, lowering his head and baring his teeth, intending to chase her away from the herd, claiming her as his own. Reacting instinctively, Juliet heeded him, breaking into a canter to escape his flashing teeth. Her eyes rolled in fright and she whinnied desperately as Tybalt pursued her. Prince turned and saw this too late to prevent it. Capulet and Paris were too far away to help. There was no one who could stop the black stallion from stealing her away.

No one except Romeo.

He let out a bellow of red-hot, fiery rage and charged forward, ears flat to his head, teeth bared in a snarl that would have sent any sane horse running in panic. Tybalt looked around and was so surprised to see this random blue roan horse running toward him that he quite forgot to ready himself, and so when Romeo collided with him he fell to the ground in a tangle of legs. Romeo towered over him, his face inches from Tybalt's, and growled, "Don't you _dare_ touch her! Get out of here, and don't come back!"

Deeply shaken, humiliated at being taken down twice in a single day, and disheartened by his own failure, Tybalt rose to his feet and fled the clearing without a backward glance, leaving only the sound of his last coughing fit behind.

Romeo turned his gaze to Juliet. "Are you all right?" he asked urgently, stepping toward her.

She nodded, too dazed to say a word. Romeo sighed with relief and reached out for her, folding his neck over hers in a warm, comforting embrace. "Thank Equus," he murmured. "You're safe, Juliet. You're—"

He broke off, his eyes widening as a sudden realization struck him. The entire herd had fallen silent, and every eye was aimed at the two of them.

"Uh-oh."

Prince trotted over to where they stood, followed closely by Benvolio and Rosaline, both of whom looked very worried. Close behind them were Montague, Capulet, Lady, and Paris.

"Romeo!" Montague cried. "Son, are you all right?"

"Juliet!" Lady blurted. "Are you hurt?"

While Romeo and Juliet assured their parents that they were unharmed, Paris tried to nuzzle her, but she shied away from him, leaning into Romeo for support. Paris's eyes flicked back and forth between them, filled with hurt and confusion.

Prince cleared his throat, and everyone fell silent, looking at him expectantly. "Romeo," the stallion said calmly, "why did you challenge Tybalt like that? It was a very foolish thing to do."

Romeo opened his mouth to reply, but he was suddenly unable to speak. This wasn't at all how he'd imagined the situation playing out. What could he do? What should he say?

The others were all waiting for him to answer, so he said, "Uh…because…well you see…I…um…I couldn't…couldn't let Tybalt take Juliet."

Prince's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, you couldn't let him? What did it matter to you what Tybalt did? It was not your place to worry about my mares. So why did you intervene? You must have had a reason. No stallion gets that defensive or protective without motivation."

Romeo swallowed thickly. "It's because…because…" He looked down at Juliet, who was still standing as close to him as possible. She turned her eyes to him and nodded once, her face set in an expression that suggested she was ready to face whatever happened next. Romeo flicked his ear in acknowledgement and returned his attention to Prince. "Because I love Juliet."

Utter silence followed this announcement. Each and every horse was staring at him as if he'd started howling like a wolf. Then, feeling as though he ought to come completely clean, Romeo added, "And…she is my mate."

The silence lasted a full five seconds after this. Then Capulet let out a roar of fury. "Your mate?! Your _mate_?!" he bellowed, turning his eyes to his daughter. "Is this true, Juliet?! Is what this rogue says true?!"

Juliet inclined her head. "Yes, Father. It's true. Romeo is my mate, and I am his."

Everyone started speaking at once, demanding explanations and hurling accusations, though the exact words were lost among the din. It took a shrill whinny from Prince to make the horses fall silent again. Looking from Romeo to Juliet and back again with a blank, expressionless face, he said calmly, "Explain."

And so the story came out. Romeo and Juliet told of how they'd met at the party, how they'd fallen in love, how they had exchanged vows of everlasting devotion that night under the stars. Benvolio and Rosaline helped, telling of their part in the secret romance as messengers between the two lovers.

When they were done, when all had been said, another silence stretched between them. Capulet was livid with rage. Paris looked shocked and wounded. Montague didn't seem to be able to wrap his mind around what he'd heard. Lady seemed worried. But Romeo and Juliet's attention was fixed on Prince, who was surveying them imperiously, turning over their story in his mind, clearly wondering what he should do.

"Prince!" Capulet barked, and the stallion turned toward Juliet's father, his expression unchanged. "You can't allow this!"

"Father, I love Romeo." Juliet said earnestly. "It is too late to stop or prevent it. There's nothing to be done. He asked me to be his mate, and I accepted. That's all there is to it."

"But that's not all there is to it," Prince murmured, and Romeo's heart missed a beat. "Juliet, you were promised to Paris a few days ago. You are betrothed to him."

Juliet drew in a breath but felt as though her lungs had forgotten how to function. She looked up at Romeo, who looked just as shocked as she was, and said, "But…but Prince, I don't love Paris! I am Romeo's mate!"

"If I had known that," Prince said coolly, "then I wouldn't have agreed to the arrangement. But I didn't know that you were already taken, so I gave my consent. It was all set up between your father and Paris. You are betrothed to him."

"And that makes Romeo a thief!" Capulet barked, looking suddenly gleeful. It was a deranged, frightening expression. "Romeo stole my daughter away from her intended, Prince!"

"But he didn't know!" Montague interjected quickly. "He didn't know about the arrangement, Prince! Besides, he and Juliet were…" He struggled for a moment with the word. "…mates before Paris was promised her. Surely that voids the agreement!"

But Prince shook his head. "It would have if I'd known about their union," he said, and now his voice was sad. He was dreading what he knew he must do. "But as it stands, Paris's claim on her has precedent, and that does indeed make Romeo a thief. He did not seek her father's or my permission to have Juliet as his mate, so his union with her is meaningless to me."

He turned to Romeo, who was gaping in stunned disbelief at his leader. "Romeo…I have no choice. I know you did not intend to, but you stole Juliet away from her intended. Therefore…I must banish you from this herd."

Romeo's head swam, and for a moment he feared he would collapse. The ground seemed to be moving, dropping out from underneath him. His knees trembled and threatened to give way, and his vision seemed to blur. Banished? He was banished, exiled from the herd? This place he'd always called home was now forbidden to him? And all because he'd fallen in love with the wrong mare?

"No!" Juliet cried, her voice filled with horror at Prince's pronouncement. "No! Oh no Prince, please, I beg you, do not banish him! I love him! He is my mate!"

"Not anymore," Prince said gravely. "Romeo is exiled, and you are promised to Paris. Unless," he added, glancing over at Capulet, "your father agrees to dissolve the pact, in which case I might reconsider."

"No," Capulet said firmly. "The agreement stands. Juliet, you are betrothed to Paris, and that is that."

Paris glanced toward Capulet at the sound of his name before returning his gaze to Juliet. He said nothing but continued to stare at her with an expression of wounded disbelief on his face.

"But Father—!" Juliet whimpered.

"Don't say a word," Capulet interrupted coldly. "I would hardly have believed this of you, Juliet. I thought you had sense. I thought I raised you to know better."

"I can't help who I fall in love with!" Juliet protested, her voice shaking. "I had no control over any of it! But I love Romeo, Father! Please, please don't make him leave! Dissolve this promise, break the arrangement! If you've ever cared about me as your daughter then please—"

"Silence!" Capulet roared. "Ungrateful fool! Everything I've ever done was to ensure your happiness and welfare, and this is the thanks I get?! To find that my only daughter has shackled herself to the rogue son of Montague?! There are no words to express the shame I feel!"

Juliet flinched as though he'd struck her, and tears welled in her eyes. "Father…"

"And just what are you suggesting about my son?" Montague snarled, flattening his ears in anger. "You're quick to level blame at Romeo, but I don't hear you scolding her for her lack of self-control. This mess is just as much her fault as his!"

" _Don't you dare insult my daughter!_ " Capulet shrieked.

"Father, don't!" Romeo rushed forward, coming between the two stallions before the battle could start. Pushing Montague back, he went on, "Don't seek out a fight. It's not worth it."

Montague gazed down at his son, and Romeo saw a terrible sadness in his eyes. "Oh my son," he moaned, dropping his head down on Romeo's shoulder. "Why, son, why?"

Romeo didn't have to ask what he meant. "I don't know, Father. I can't explain it, and I'm so sorry that it's come to this. But you can't blame Capulet for what's happened, Father. Whatever your past with him, you can't lash out at him over everything. Be strong, Father, all right?"

"Romeo…oh Romeo…" Montague couldn't say anything more, but instead broke down into sobs and pulled his son close. Romeo nickered wordlessly.

"Prince," Montague gasped out, "please, isn't there another way? Does it have to be exile? Can you find no other punishment but to force my son, my world, away from me?"

Prince swished his tail. "I'm sorry, Montague, but that is the punishment for stallions who overstep their bounds. You know that. I can't bend the rules like that for anyone." He turned away, pausing just long enough to add over his shoulder, "Leave here, Romeo, and do not return." Then he walked away. Capulet, looking triumphant though his eyes still blazed furiously, followed, along with Lady and Paris.

"Oh Romeo!" Juliet threw herself on her mate, sobbing. "No! No I can't…I can't lose you! Oh no…oh please…Romeo, no!"

Romeo nickered and nuzzled her, pressing his nose to her cheek with sad, tender affection. "I'm so sorry, my love," he murmured. "Please take heart. I'll never be far away." He bumped his muzzle to hers in farewell. "I love you, Juliet. Remember that." He drew back, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Don't forget: I won't be far. You'll always know where to find me." He tried to smile but couldn't quite manage it. Then he turned to gaze at Benvolio, who stood watching in silence. "Good-bye, my friend," he murmured, and Benvolio nodded once, unable to speak.

Then Romeo turned to Montague, whose cheeks were streaked with silent tears. "Father…" Romeo reached out to nuzzle him. "Forgive me, Father. I love you, and I'm so sorry."

Montague let out the faintest of answering nickers, pressing his muzzle to Romeo's shoulder. "I love you, son," he choked out. "Please…be safe…"

Romeo inclined his head, and then he turned once more to Juliet. For a long moment they gazed at each other, both unable to say a word.

Then Romeo whispered, "I'll never be far away, my love. Remember that." And with that, he turned and trudged away, disappearing into the trees.

"Oh…oh _Romeo_!" Juliet burst into tears, whirling around and running to Rosaline, who let her friend sob into her shoulder. She exchanged looks of helplessness with Benvolio, who likewise had no clue how they could help. Words wouldn't soothe her pain, and there was nothing to be done about the situation. What could they do?

Juliet took a couple of deep breaths, blinking tears out of her eyes, and noticed that Montague was still standing in the same spot, staring sightlessly at the place where Romeo had vanished. Even in her own grief, her heart broke for the poor stallion. "Montague…"

The palomino whipped his head around to stare at her, and she gasped. His eyes were so cold that she nearly shivered. "Do not talk to me," he snarled. "Don't ever talk to me. It's your fault my son was taken from me. I wish he'd never met you."

And without another word, he turned and stormed away from her to grieve in solitude. Juliet watched him depart, feeling, if possible, even worse than before.

"Oh…Rosaline!" Juliet wailed. "What am I going to do now? What kind of life is there for me here now that Romeo is gone? My love has been banished, my father is furious with me, my beloved's father hates me and blames me for his sorrow…what have I got?"

"You've still got me," Rosaline offered, though when this didn't seem to cheer the mournful mare she went on, "Look, Juliet…I know things seem bad right now. But try not to let your sadness take over your life like this. We can figure something out, I know we can. We just have to take some time and think about what to do. Surely there's some way to convince Prince to welcome Romeo back to the herd. We just have to figure it out."

"I'll give it a shot right now," Benvolio spoke up. "I'll go talk to Father, try to convince him to change his mind." He whirled around and cantered off to do just that. Rosaline silently wished him the best of luck, but privately thought he didn't stand a chance. She knew her leader well enough to be certain it would take a small miracle to revoke his sentence.

Juliet was still sobbing uncontrollably, and Rosaline stayed with her, offering what small comfort she could give. The other horses stayed well away from them, though Rosaline could sense their mutters and whispers. This was the biggest scandal the herd had experienced in quite some time. The son of Montague and the daughter of Capulet secretly in love? The children of the herd's two greatest foes together, defying their father's enmity? What a tale it was! Rosaline snorted quietly at the thought. There they all stood gossiping while a short distance away several horses were suffering…

"Juliet."

They looked around to see Paris standing just behind them. His face was expressionless. "May I speak with you please?"

Juliet's jaw tightened a little but she nodded. Turning to Rosaline she murmured, "Would you give us a moment?"

"You sure?" Rosaline inquired, eyeing Paris nervously. It was hard to tell what he was thinking. She didn't have any idea what he wanted to say or what he might do, and she was uneasy with leaving Juliet alone with him.

Juliet nodded again, and Rosaline sighed and did as asked, stepping away from her friend.

There was a tense silence. Juliet waited for Paris to speak, but he said nothing, watching her intently. After a moment Juliet asked, "What is it you wanted to speak to me about?"

Paris didn't reply at once. He seemed to be steeling himself for something unpleasant. Then he said in a voice of forced calm, "Did you mean what you said to Prince?"

Juliet blinked. "Which part?"

"The part about how you don't love me."

Juliet felt her heart clench. She closed her eyes for a second or two before opening them again, gazing levelly at the chestnut stallion. "Yes, Paris. I meant it. I have never loved you, not the way you want for me to."

Paris flinched slightly, though his expression suggested he had expected that answer. "I see," he said coldly. "So you knew I never had a chance of winning your heart, yet you let me continue to pursue you, let me fall deeper in love with you, knowing that I was going to have my heart broken?"

Juliet inhaled sharply. "Oh no…oh Paris, I'm so sorry! I never wanted to hurt you!"

Paris laughed once, a harsh, humorless sound. "You never wanted to hurt me? What exactly did you think was going to happen, Juliet? Did you think I would learn of your love for Romeo and just step aside like a good sport, as if all I'd lost was a simple game? Did you think I would smile and congratulate you, all smiles and shrugs? Juliet, do you have any idea how badly you've broken my heart? You didn't just break it: you've taken it and trampled it into the ground. And yet you have the gall to tell me you never wanted to hurt me?!"

Juliet gaped at him, at a total loss for words. How could she possibly explain it to him? How could she explain that she knew full well that Paris was going to be hurt by the revelation of her and Romeo's love, but that she'd hoped he would recover quickly? How could she explain that she'd been forced to keep it a secret, that if she could have proclaimed her love to the herd she would have?

"I…I'm sorry, Paris. I just…I'm sorry."

Paris glared at her and snorted. "Sometimes," he growled, "saying 'sorry' just isn't enough."

And he left without a backward glance. Juliet watched him go with fresh tears brewing in her eyes, feeling more alone in that moment than she ever had in her life.

 **A/N: Well that didn't exactly go according to plan…**

 **Hope you're enjoying the story! Next chapter will be up on Friday.**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

"Father."

Prince opened his eyes and looked over his shoulder. Benvolio was approaching him, looking very angry. The elder horse sighed. He'd been expecting this. "You know I had to do it, son," he said. "I didn't want to, but I am bound by certain rules. I had no choice."

"Of course you had a choice!" Benvolio retorted. "And you decided to banish Romeo rather than dissolve the arrangement between Juliet and Paris. What sense does that make? If you'd broken the pact, then only Capulet and Paris would have been upset. But as it stands, they are still upset. Capulet knows that his daughter fell in love with his enemy, and Paris knows Juliet never loved him. And not only that, but Juliet's devastated because the stallion she loves has been exiled, poor Montague is mourning for a son he's never going to see again, and…and I…I'm sad and angry that my best friend has been banished over something so stupid as an agreement that he knew nothing about! More horses are hurt and grieving because of your decision than there would have been had you released Juliet from her betrothal and let Romeo stay. Yet you say you had no choice?!"

"If it were as simple as that, Romeo would still be here," Prince said patiently, if a little wearily. "Do you think I enjoyed banishing your friend, Benvolio? Do you think I am happy with how this day has gone? Son, it pained me to do what I did, but it was the only option I had. As leader of this herd, I have to stand by the rules, no matter how much they sadden me or others. I cannot allow my personal feelings to influence my judgment. I have to be fair and nonbiased in every decision I make."

"That's all very well," Benvolio snapped. "But that doesn't explain why you had to banish Romeo over a crime he didn't even know he was committing. None of us knew that you'd promised Juliet to Paris, so how was Romeo supposed to know about it? How is that fair? Their union was set long before you made the agreement with Capulet and Paris—"

"And as I said before, had I known that, things would be different," Prince interrupted. "But I didn't know about their secret love. Therefore nothing between them had the blessing of their parents or myself. Paris did have that blessing, so his claim on Juliet makes him her rightful mate. Those are the rules, Benvolio, and these are rules I have to obey."

"Even if those rules make no sense and leave everyone grieving?" Benvolio demanded.

"Yes!" Prince replied, sounding less patient now. "If I bend the rules this once because I don't like the outcome, then what becomes of my leadership? What kind of pattern will that establish? What message does that send to the rest of the herd? 'Go on, do whatever you want, break whatever rules you like: Prince is soft and doesn't follow through on his promises or threats so it's okay'? Do you understand, son? Do you understand that I must uphold these rules whether I like them or not? It's not about what I like or don't like. It's not about my personal preferences or which course will make everyone happy. It's about heeding the laws and guidelines that have been placed before me, which is the only way a leader can be totally and absolutely fair. I know Romeo was your friend, Benvolio, but don't let your love for him blind you to what is right. That is enough," he added, for the paint colt showed every sign of being about to speak. "My decision is final, and I will not revoke it. Romeo is banished from this herd. I wish him all the best in the future, but he is not to return here. As for Juliet and the rest, I hope they can find happiness with what they have, but I cannot change what has been done. I will hear no argument. This discussion is closed."

Prince turned away, swishing his tail once to indicate that he would not speak further on this matter. Benvolio huffed furiously and stormed off, ears flat against his head and teeth bared in a snarl of rage.

Rosaline watched sadly as he approached. She could tell from his expression how the conversation had gone, yet still she asked, "He won't change his mind?"

Benvolio tossed his mane. "No. He says he can't bend the rules, even though it would make everyone happier if he did."

Rosaline glanced over at Paris, who stood in a corner of the clearing, his head down and tears streaking his cheeks. "Not everyone," she murmured.

Benvolio followed her gaze, and his expression softened. He sighed. "How did it all come to this? Yesterday everything was fine. Okay, so Romeo and Juliet hadn't seen each other in a while and were getting restless, but they were both here. They were both reasonably happy. And now…" He trailed off. Silence stretched between them for a moment.

Then Benvolio went on, "You know what Romeo said to me the night of the party? After I convinced him to come even though he was Montague's son?"

Rosaline shook her head, wondering what this had to do with anything.

"He said, 'If anything happens, it's on you.'" Benvolio laughed humorlessly. "He meant that if Capulet found out that he was there and got mad or whatever, then I would be to blame. And you know what I said in return? I said, 'I think I can live with that.'" He shook his head. "But if I had known…if I'd even guessed that this would be the end result of such a foolish decision…" He faltered. "I should never have dragged Romeo to that party. That's when all this started. If I'd never bothered then they'd never have met, and Romeo would still be here. Everything would be…would be…"

"It wouldn't be fine," Rosaline interjected softly. "Romeo would still be looking for love, and Juliet would be promised to a stallion she feels nothing for. No matter how it ended, isn't it better that they had the time together that they did? Benvolio, just earlier today you were saying that love makes all things possible. Don't tell me that you've lost heart so soon." She bumped his cheek with her muzzle, and despite his sadness Benvolio felt his heart jump into his throat at her touch. "I know things seem bleak right now, but there's a way to fix this! I know there is! We just have to find it."

Benvolio gazed at her, wondering how he'd gone his whole life without noticing her before the past day or two. He nodded. "You're right. Yes. We'll find a way. We have to." Then, throwing caution to the winds, he pressed his muzzle to hers. Her eyes flew open in shock, but she didn't draw away. "Love is worth the fight."

Rosaline blinked several times and smiled shyly, suddenly unable to say a word.

…

The sun was starting to set below the treetops when Capulet approached his daughter. Juliet looked up as the sound of his footsteps reached her ears, and for a long moment they simply gazed at each other. Capulet's face was stern and cold, Juliet's drained and almost lifeless. She'd stopped crying: she had long before run out of tears to shed.

Capulet broke the silence. "How long do you plan to stand there mourning the departure of Montague's son?"

Juliet didn't answer.

Capulet stomped once and snorted. He didn't like his question being ignored, but he had more pressing matters to discuss so he let it go without comment. "Paris has spoken to me this evening. He told me that you said you never loved him, that you have been playing him false while secretly seeing your beloved rogue."

"I never played him false," Juliet corrected, and even she was surprised by how calm her voice was. "I never told him I loved him, never gave any indication that I felt anything for him more than simple friendship. If he assumed anything about my heart, then that's his fault, not mine."

Capulet's eyes narrowed. "Be that as it may," he said, and he was much less successful at keeping his voice steady, "you let him believe that you loved him when you did not."

"And I am sorry he is hurt," Juliet said. "It was never my intention to wound him. I know this has caused him a great deal of pain, and I am sorry for it. But there is nothing more to be said or done at this point. What's done is done, and I can't change it."

Capulet lashed his tail out angrily. "There is something you can do, Juliet," he growled. "You can go through with the arrangement and become Paris's mate. Heal the heart that you have broken. Be his mate and give him the love you once gave to that other colt."

"His name is Romeo," Juliet said, and for the first time there was a bite to her voice. She wasn't surprised by her father's order. She'd been half-expecting it all afternoon. "You refuse to say his name, but that doesn't change who he is. He is Romeo, and I love him. I will not be Paris's mate. My heart will never be his, nor will I ever love him the way I love Romeo."

Capulet was so angry that Juliet could see the whites of his eyes as they rolled furiously in their sockets. "You are such a child!" he barked. "A spoiled, rotten child! You don't understand a thing you say! How do you know your heart can't be won a second time by another horse? Romeo is banished from this herd, and you will never see him again! You are pining now, but you will get over him in time and realize just how great a match Paris is for you."

Juliet's temper flared. "Get over him?" she repeated, and she let out a cold shout of laughter. "Like you got over Livia, you mean?"

The mention of his sister brought Capulet up short. He inhaled sharply and gaped at his daughter as if he'd never seen her before. Then his face contorted in rage. "How dare you!" he hissed. "How dare you speak her name! How dare you talk to me like that, your own father!"

"I dare," Juliet returned, "because your stupid hatred and grudge has driven me from the stallion I love. You have become so consumed by the past that you've totally failed to see what's right in front of you. For all your talk of wanting to match me with a suitable stallion, of wanting what's best for me, you've never taken the time to find out just what would be best for me, what would make me happy. Did you ever ask me if I loved Paris? No. Did you ever ask if being with him would make me happy? No. Did you ever ask me if I was willing to be his mate? No. You just decided it all for me without ever realizing that I have thoughts and feelings of my own. I despise you!"

She turned away from him, taking deep breaths to steady her hammering heart. Capulet stared at her in stunned disbelief, unable to fathom what she'd said.

"Your refusal to forgive Montague has put a rift in this herd," Juliet went on in a calmer voice. "And I'll have no more of it. I will not submit to your will. I will not be Paris's mate."

There was a long, painful silence.

"Very well," Capulet said at last, and the words were cold as death itself. "Go ahead. Refuse to love Paris. Never have a mate for all I care. If you despise me so much, then leave me. Do not put yourself in my sight again, you ungrateful wretch. Eat, sleep, live where you will, but it won't be under my protection. Do what you want. I'm done with you."

If Capulet was hoping Juliet would recant and beg for forgiveness, he was greatly disappointed. "Fine," was all she said, and she didn't even glance at him as he left her alone.

"Wow…that was something."

Juliet looked around to see Rosaline approaching, looking both shocked and rather amused. Juliet smiled weakly at her. "I may regret that in the morning," she admitted, "but at the moment I can't say I'm sorry I said any of it."

Rosaline chuckled and walked up to where her friend stood, reaching out to nudge her gently. "How are you?" she asked softly.

Juliet sighed, her smile fading as quickly as it had appeared. "I miss him so much," she murmured. "This is so much worse than the impatience and discomfort I'm used to feeling when we're apart. At least then I had the promise of a night with him to ease my impatience. But now…with Romeo banished…" She stopped, biting her lip.

"Well, at least you have the memory of him, right?" Rosaline said in a weak attempt to cheer her. "Didn't he say as he was leaving that he'd always be with you?"

"He said he would never be far," Juliet said, nodding sadly. "He said it three times, actually. It's like he was afraid I would forget him or…" She stiffened and gasped, her eyes widening and her jaw dropping open. "Of course," she moaned. "How did I not figure it out sooner?"

"Juliet?" Rosaline frowned. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Wrong?" Juliet laughed, actually laughed for the first time that day, a sound of joy that was so out of place given the circumstances that Rosaline actually feared for her friend's sanity. "Nothing's wrong, Rosaline! This is wonderful! Romeo wasn't telling me he'd always be in my heart or my memory or anything like that! He was telling me that he would always be nearby! He meant it literally! That's why he said it three times; he wanted to make sure I understood what he meant! He's close to the herd! He hasn't left after all!" She threw herself on Rosaline in utter joy. "Here I've been crying my eyes out and grieving over our separation when really we haven't been separated at all! He's out there somewhere, waiting for me to go to him!"

"Well then, what are you waiting for?" Rosaline demanded, smiling. "There's nothing tying you to the herd, now that you and your father have fallen out. Go to him. Be happy. Follow him to the ends of the earth. And love him with everything you've got."

But Juliet's joy was fading as she gazed at her friend. "But…what about you? You're my dearest friend."

"And I'll miss you very much," Rosaline said. "But you won't be content unless you're by Romeo's side. Don't worry about that. Just go to him. As long as you're happy, then I'll be happy."

Juliet beamed and nuzzled her friend. "Thank you, Rosaline. I'll never forget you."

"Oh Juliet, let's not do these sad good-byes," Rosaline replied with a little laugh. "Just go. Go and find your Romeo."

Juliet smiled, her eyes brimming with fresh tears, and nodded. And without another word she whirled around and cantered into the woods. She didn't have to worry about what direction to take. She knew exactly where Romeo would be.

Sure enough, she emerged into the little clearing in which she and Romeo had first confessed their love for each other, the clearing where they'd spent their precious nights together since she'd agreed to be his mate. And there he was, his eyes dancing with joy, lips curved in a smile of welcome. "I was starting to wonder if my message got lost in translation," he remarked with a faint chuckle.

"Oh Romeo!" Juliet cried, running to him and burying her head in his chest, wetting his hair with her tears. She felt the heat of his body, the warm comfort of his presence, heard the reassuring sound of his breathing, inhaled the scent she knew so well. He was here, standing before her when she'd thought she would never see him again. And though they'd only been apart for a few hours, she was so overcome with delight that it might have been a whole century.

"I figured this would be a good place for us to call home," Romeo said, gesturing around the clearing with his muzzle. "It's close to the stream, and there's plenty of grass growing in the woods to sustain us. And we're close enough to the herd that I can visit my father once things have quieted down a bit, reassure him that I'm well and he has nothing to be worried about."

"It's perfect," Juliet agreed, stepping back far enough that she could look him in the eye. "Anywhere is perfect as long as you're there."

Romeo grinned. "It's funny: I was going to say the same thing about you." And he pressed his muzzle to hers.

They were so overwhelmed by their joy that they failed to notice a third presence lurking in the trees just outside the clearing's edge. The horse watched the lovers reunite, and with every second that passed his rage became hotter, fiercer, all-consuming. By the time Paris stormed away, his fury was taking shape in a desperate plan, a plan that would ensure that Romeo and Juliet would never be together again.

 **A/N: Reunited again! But will it last? You'll find out soon enough. Next chapter will be up on Tuesday. I hope you're enjoying the story!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Just three chapters left, including this one! We have reached the climax of the story. I hope you enjoy it!**

Chapter Ten

Juliet's mother Lady was the first to realize that her daughter had disappeared. She'd hoped to speak to the distraught mare, to see if she could help ease the pain she was feeling. But after wandering all over the clearing and not finding Juliet anywhere, she rushed to her mate, crying, "Juliet's gone!"

Upon hearing this, Capulet approached Prince and told him the news, feeling as though he was on the verge of drowning in a sea that threatened to overwhelm him from within. Prince promised he would search for the wayward horse, but it was now nightfall and he could not in good conscience ask any horse to stray from the herd, not with the darkness shrouding the forest and shielding any predators that might be lurking in the trees. He would therefore send out a search party in the morning.

Capulet, overcome with guilt and horror at what he'd said to his daughter, decided he couldn't wait till then. He set out and searched the forest surrounding the clearing for her, calling her name at the top of his lungs and begging for her forgiveness. When Juliet remained missing, he returned to the herd, dejected and brokenhearted. His mate was anxiously waiting for him, and when she asked why Juliet would have run away, he confessed what he'd done. Lady was furious that he could say such terrible things to Juliet, so furious that she refused to speak to Capulet for several days.

The next morning Prince carried out his promise and sent several able-bodied horses to look for Juliet, ordering them to go as far away from the herd as they dared before returning. His hopes were not high: he knew that she must have left the herd to find Romeo and assumed that both horses were by now far away from the clearing. Yet still he prayed someone would find them, feeling as though Juliet's disappearance was just as much his fault as Capulet's. He couldn't stop himself from wondering if Benvolio had been right, and that if he'd let Romeo stay none of this would be happening. He sighed and closed his eyes, wishing more than anything that the previous day hadn't happened, that he knew nothing of Romeo and Juliet's secret romance, that everything was still peaceful in his herd…

Benvolio and Rosaline volunteered to join the search, and together they rushed off to the clearing where they had once found Romeo and Juliet sleeping. The memory felt as if it belonged to a different lifetime. They told their friends about what was happening and urged them to be on their guard in case someone came by. "You should be safe," Benvolio concluded. "Since Father knows we've searched this general area, I doubt he'll send anyone else this way. But still, be on the lookout and be prepared to run just in case."

"Thank you," Romeo said, nudging his companion's shoulder gratefully. "We'll be careful, I promise."

"By the way, Juliet," Rosaline said, almost as an afterthought, "your father is absolutely frantic with worry. I know what he said yesterday was terrible, but I think he understands that and is truly sorry for it. Just thought you should know."

Juliet looked away, biting her lip. Her father's cruel words had invaded her dreams the previous night, and Romeo had spent several minutes comforting her and soothing her back to sleep. The wounds were still fresh and needed time to heal, but she said, "Maybe someday, once this has all settled down and everyone's had a chance to look at it from a new perspective, I'll be able to talk to Father about what happened between us. Maybe then we'll be able to forgive each other and move on. But right now…I just don't know…"

Rosaline nodded. "I understand. I just thought you ought to be aware of it."

Benvolio and Rosaline left not long after this, promising that they would visit as soon as they felt it was safe to slip away from the herd. "Please give my father what comfort you can," Romeo told his friend. "I know he must be terribly upset."

"That doesn't even begin to cover it," Benvolio replied sadly. "But I'll do my best. And you…" He paused and smiled warmly. "You be happy. Both of you."

Romeo glanced happily down at Juliet and murmured, "I don't think that will be a problem for us." Juliet nickered and nuzzled his withers.

Benvolio and Rosaline said farewell and returned to the herd, informing Prince that they had been unsuccessful. Prince was disappointed but hadn't really expected anything different. "Then I suppose all we can do is hope they are together and happy," he remarked. Benvolio, surprised by his father's melancholy, did not know how to reply.

Of course Benvolio and Rosaline weren't the only ones who knew of Juliet's whereabouts. Yet Paris did not come forward with the information. At first even he didn't know why he was holding back. But as the hours ticked by and as days passed with no sign of Juliet or her banished mate, the plan that had only vaguely taken root in his mind began to take on more form, shaping into a plot that required that he and he alone know of the missing horses' whereabouts.

The problem was that his plan required the two horses to become separated, just for a moment so that he could act. But Romeo and Juliet never left each other's side. They grazed together, ran together, talked and laughed together, drank from the stream together, slept together…it was as if they were attached by some invisible rope that bound them to each other. Under the pretense of continuing searches for his betrothed (even though everyone else, even Capulet, had given up), Paris spied on the young couple every day for a full week, waiting for the perfect moment to carry out his terrible deeds.

That moment finally came one hot summer afternoon.

Juliet stood with her mate in their little clearing as usual, occasionally swishing her tail to rid her hide of pesky flies that tried to land on her. Her gaze was fixed on Romeo, her eyes filled with concern, for her beloved was sick. He stood listlessly, uninterested in grazing on the lush grass before him, his head lowered and ears drooping, eyes half-closed as if he were thinking of taking a nap. Every few minutes he would cough, a dry, racking sound that made his sides heave. Juliet flinched every time it started up again, feeling her heart constrict painfully. She would gladly have taken Romeo's suffering onto herself rather than watch him endure it minute by minute, hour by hour.

Romeo coughed violently again. Juliet reached out with her muzzle but pulled back almost at once, not knowing what to do that could possibly help. Romeo had told her to keep her distance for fear of catching it herself. "That darn Tybalt," he'd muttered. "He had that fever when he challenged Prince, remember? He must have given it to me when I ran into him to stop him stealing you away."

"I'm sorry," Juliet had replied, looking sadly at her hooves.

Romeo had looked sharply up at her and quickly said, "It's not your fault, love. It is what it is, and I don't blame you. But I do think you ought to stay away from me for a few days, just until the worst of it is behind me. I'd hate to see you go through this too. It's…not fun."

Juliet hadn't replied, partly because she couldn't think of anything to say but mostly because Romeo succumbed to another coughing fit and wouldn't have heard anything she'd said anyway.

Now Juliet watched her mate as he shook his mane in frustration. He huffed and looked over at her, his eyes softening as they always did when he gazed upon her. "Forgive me," he said quietly. "I know I'm not great company at the moment."

Juliet smiled weakly. "Don't worry about it." Then in a halfhearted attempt to inject some humor into the situation she added, "You're still better than some other horses I know."

Romeo smiled but didn't laugh. He knew she was still upset over what Capulet had said and wasn't ready to forgive him yet for his callousness. He didn't blame her, but he did wonder if she would be better off if she put the incident in the past. The constant brooding couldn't be doing her any good…

Juliet huffed and glanced up at the sky. The sun was shining almost directly overhead, and the heat was becoming quite uncomfortable. She lashed at another fly with her tail, reflecting sourly that bugs seemed to thrive in this kind of weather and wondering at the fairness of such a torture.

"You seem thirsty," Romeo remarked after a moment.

Juliet returned her gaze to him and snorted quietly. He was still very perceptive, fever or no fever. "A little, I suppose," she admitted.

Romeo tossed his head and winced when the movement made his head throb. "Go on to the stream, love. There's no sense in letting yourself get dehydrated just because I'm a little sick."

Juliet bit her lip worriedly. "Are you sure? I don't like the thought of leaving you alone, even for a moment. What if something attacked you?"

Romeo shrugged and grinned. "I'd cough in its face; that ought to scare it away."

Juliet rolled her eyes but couldn't quite stop herself from smiling. "Ha ha," she said mockingly. "I'm serious, Romeo."

He sighed. "Don't worry about me, Juliet. I'll be all right for a few minutes while you go get a drink. I'll probably just try to get some sleep, see if that will help. It's all right," he added when Juliet still hesitated. "I'll be fine, love. Go on. I'll be right here when you return."

Juliet didn't say anything, but her fears were far from quelled. She suddenly had a very bad feeling about leaving Romeo alone. She couldn't explain even to herself why she felt this way, but she was suddenly certain that something was going to happen, something big, something terrible, and that her leaving her mate behind, even for just a moment, would be the act that set it into motion.

She shook herself mentally. She was being ridiculous. Of course nothing would happen. The stream was only a few minutes away. She'd drink her fill and be back in no time. Romeo wouldn't even have time to fall asleep before she got back.

She forced herself to smile and said, "All right. I won't be but a moment."

Romeo nickered to her, a quiet sound of affection and reassurance, and Juliet tried to take some comfort in it as she turned and walked away into the trees.

The trek to the stream was short and uneventful, as Juliet had known it would be all along. "See?" she muttered to herself as she bent her head down toward the glistening waters gurgling past. "You were getting yourself all worked up for nothing." And she started to drink.

 _Poor Romeo_ , she thought as the fresh, cool water soothed her dry tongue and throat. _My poor Romeo, sick because he saved me from Tybalt._ Just how bad was this fever? How long would it take for him to fight if off? She hoped it wouldn't be long. It had come on suddenly, so maybe it would depart just as quickly? She wished she could ask someone for advice. Her mother, she knew, was rather knowledgeable about illnesses that commonly affected horses…

But of course she couldn't ask her mother anything, because her mother was back in the herd, along with her father and Paris. And while she missed Lady and Rosaline dearly (she still wasn't so sure about Capulet and she certainly didn't miss Paris) she knew she couldn't go back. She'd made her decision. Romeo was her mate, and she didn't care what Prince or anyone else said about it.

She raised her head slowly, her eyes fixed on a point along the opposite shore, their gaze unfocused and unseeing. If what Rosaline had told her that day was true, then her father was desperately hoping for her forgiveness. He was sorry for what he'd said and done and wished for her to return and forgive him. He had been angry with her, but she was still his daughter and he loved her. And he was her father and she still loved him, that much was true, but all the same, those words had left wounds, wounds that were slow to heal. When would she know whether she was ready to forgive him? And what would she do when that time came? Should she return to the herd and speak with him? That was dangerous: he or Prince or Paris might insist that she stay with them, and then what? Abandon Romeo for a life she didn't want? Absolutely not. No, she would have to think this through carefully. She didn't want to take any unnecessary chances with…

She got barely a second's warning. She heard a faint snorting breath and turned around to see who or what was behind her, but before she could get a good look something hard and heavy struck her over the head and she cried out in pain, collapsing to the ground as the world around her faded. She got the briefest glimpse of what looked like a horse's legs covered with what might have been brown hair – _chestnut?_ – before her eyes closed and she knew nothing more.

…

It didn't take Romeo long to realize that the nap he was hoping so desperately for was going to elude him. Every time he thought he might be on the verge of blissful sleep, another coughing fit would shake him awake, leaving him weary and frustrated. So after a few minutes he simply gazed at the ground at his feet, thinking about Juliet.

The past week had been the best of his life. He was finally united with the mare he loved, and there were no limits to the time they could spend together. No more dreading the sunrise, no more impatient waiting for night to fall…now it was just the two of them, together forever. He smiled to himself as he thought about it.

Not that all their time together had been without its worries. For one, there was this fever that had disrupted their peace, but more troublesome was Juliet's continuing bitterness toward her father. She refused to speak about him, breaking her silence only once when she'd awoken from a nightmare following her flight from the herd. Other than that she refused to even say his name, and she'd pointedly refused to talk when Romeo had brought him up once. It was an unmistakable message that he'd picked up on quite quickly.

But they were going to have to talk about it soon, and Romeo was starting to get anxious. Not only was it vital for Juliet to discuss her feelings and free herself from the darkness of her pain and anger, but it was important to try reestablishing a link with the herd. After all, he didn't want to stay banished forever. It was his hope that they could someday seek the forgiveness of Capulet and Prince and Paris so that they could be welcomed back home, all enmity and fury forgotten. Romeo missed his father and knew that Montague must be heartbroken to have lost his son so suddenly.

Perhaps there was a way to see Montague sooner rather than later, he mused. The stream was nearby. If he was careful and patient, then maybe he could wait for his father to come get a drink and reveal himself. Surely it would cheer Montague to no end to be reunited with his son, even if it was in secret…

A rustling caught Romeo's attention, and he looked up, his mouth curving into a smile as it always did when Juliet was near him. But the expression quickly turned to one of surprise and fear, for it wasn't Juliet who emerged from the brush and into the little glen.

It was Paris.

The two stallions stared at each other for a long moment, a moment that seemed to last for an eternity. Paris looked Romeo from head to hoof as if he were sizing him up, wondering why Juliet had fallen for him. There was a cold, calculating glint in his eyes that didn't totally disguise the burning hatred that blazed in their depths. Romeo laid his ears back, warning Paris not to come closer, and opened his mouth to speak. But instead of words, he greeted the newcomer with a volley of coughs. Paris watched with disinterest and said nothing while Romeo hacked and heaved.

At length, Romeo managed, "Paris…I…I must say, I wasn't expecting to see you here."

Paris made no reply but continued to glare at Romeo as if he were some form of horsefly, the kind he was accustomed to swatting away with his tail. Feeling unnerved by his silence, Romeo said, "Why have you come to this place? Have you come on Prince's behalf? I have obeyed his order and left the herd. This is not his territory. He should have no qualm with my presence here."

"I'm not here about that," Paris said coolly. "Do you think I care where you live?"

"Then why are you here?" Romeo inquired, feeling both puzzled and uneasy. Whatever Paris's reason for being here, it couldn't be good.

"I'm here about Juliet."

Romeo stiffened. "I don't know where she is," he lied boldly, and then as if to contradict himself, he started coughing again. "Isn't she…home with her parents?" he added when the fit had subsided.

Paris smiled, and somehow his smile was more chilling than his cold indifference. There wasn't a trace of warmth in the expression. "No," he replied quietly. "Juliet is not with her parents. Of course you knew that already, Romeo. I know she came here to you after leaving. Don't bother lying about it. I've seen you two together." His smile vanished and was replaced with a scowl of jealous rage. Romeo felt his heart miss several beats, and he frantically tried to come up with some way to get out of this sudden predicament. He glanced over at the forest, wondering why on earth Juliet hadn't yet returned from the stream…

As if reading his thoughts, Paris snorted and continued, "But that's neither here nor there. What I've come to tell you, Romeo, is that you will never see Juliet again."

Despite his fear, Romeo felt anger rising within him. "Why's that?" he demanded. "Do you plan to steal her away from me?"

"No," Paris said softly. "Because she's dead."

Romeo blinked. Dead? Juliet? What was he talking about? Juliet had just gone to the stream for a drink. She'd been gone for only a few minutes and would be back at any time. Of course she wasn't dead. Had Paris lost his mind?

Then the words clicked in Romeo's brain, and he felt his entire body go cold with horror and dread. He gaped at Paris, shaking his head mutely in denial. "Dead?" he breathed. "But…she's not…she can't be…"

"She can be, and she is," Paris said, a note of triumphant glee in his voice. "I met her at the stream and killed her myself. If I can't have her, then no one will. You stole her from me, and now I've stolen her from you for good."

Romeo started to shake, feeling as though the earth beneath him had turned to some strange half-solid, half-liquid substance that couldn't support him. "You…you killed…you killed Juliet?" He staggered backward a step or two, reeling as grief and pain started to replace the shock and disbelief. His heart felt as though it was bound by tight cords that prevented it from beating properly, and his lungs seemed to be filled with ice. "No…" he gasped, and tears started to well in his eyes. "No…not my Juliet…my sweet Juliet…you can't be dead…it can't be true…no…"

And then he threw his head back and screamed to the heavens, screamed so loudly that a flock of birds nestled in a nearby tree took flight in terror. His knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground, his vision blurring with the tears that overflowed from his eyes and streaked his cheeks. In that moment he wanted to die. What was the point of living without his beloved Juliet to share his life with? There was no future for him without her, no joy, no happiness, no love, only pain, suffering, emptiness…

…and rage.

He looked up at Paris, who was watching his display of anguish with savage satisfaction, his eyes alight with glee at the effect his news had produced. "You monster!" Romeo bellowed, clambering to his feet again. "You killed my Juliet! Kill me too, Paris! Murder me as you murdered her!"

Paris chuckled darkly. "It would be my pleasure."

The two stallions lunged for each other, and the fight began.

 **A/N: The beginning of the end…how will it all turn out? You'll have to wait and see… The next chapter will be up on Friday. Hope you're enjoying it!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Here we go. How will the fight between Romeo and Paris end? Will Juliet ever awaken? How will their love story end? The answers lie ahead, so I won't keep you busy with a long Author's Note. Enjoy!**

Chapter Eleven

The day had become so hot that the horses of Prince's herd took refuge under the trees surrounding the clearing, relaxing and dozing in the shade. Benvolio stood beside Rosaline, swishing his tail to help keep the flies off her body. She smiled at him in thanks and returned the favor. They didn't speak much: talking took energy, and they were both feeling lethargic and lazy with the heat.

At some point, Rosaline broke the silence by murmuring, "Paris is leaving again."

Benvolio followed her gaze in time to see the chestnut stallion slip into the forest and out of sight. "Still looking for Juliet?"

"Mm-hmm," Rosaline confirmed, tossing her mane halfheartedly. "Hope she and Romeo are on the lookout."

"Me too," Benvolio agreed, and another silence fell between them. The minutes wore on in peaceful contentment. Rosaline closed her eyes, thinking that she might take a quick nap, but just as she decided on this course of action, Benvolio huffed and she looked around at him, curious. "I was thinking about going to the stream for a drink," he said conversationally. "Would you like to come with me?"

Rosaline considered for a moment before she smiled and replied, "Sure. That sounds nice."

So they walked deeper into the trees, passing Montague on their way. He was standing listlessly, his eyes fixed straight ahead but not seeing anything. Benvolio felt his heart constrict in pity, but he said nothing. He'd tried to do as Romeo asked and done everything in his power to comfort the poor stallion. But nothing had helped. It seemed like nothing less than actually seeing Romeo again would lift Montague's spirits, but neither he nor Rosaline had thought it wise to let him know of his son's location. The more horses that knew, the greater the chance that Capulet or Paris would learn of where Romeo and Juliet were hiding, and until they had a plan to reconcile it was best that their whereabouts remained as secret as possible.

As they walked, Benvolio wondered how his friend was doing. He hadn't seen Romeo since warning him and Juliet of Prince's search parties, and he missed his colthood playmate intensely. Still, it was more important that Romeo was happy, and obviously nothing could make him happier than being with Juliet. He could only hope that someday he and Rosaline…

His thoughts ground to a halt, and he glanced over at the mare by his side. The sunlight filtering through the trees made her speckled coat shine, and her mane and forelock were lifted by a pleasant breeze. She was beautiful, so beautiful that it hurt to look at her, yet he found he didn't want to look away. The sight of her filled him with joy and made his heart feel so light he thought he could walk on the clouds if he wanted.

He was in love. He knew it now for certain. He wanted to be with her always, and each moment they were apart felt like it would never end. He thought he understood now why Romeo had seemed so distracted lately when waiting for the time he and Juliet could be reunited. Rosaline was all he could think of when she wasn't around him, and when she was by his side he could barely think of anything besides his delight at her presence.

But how was he supposed to tell her? What if he confessed his love to her and she rejected him, told him that she didn't feel the same for him? That would utterly break his heart. Or worse, what if she actually laughed at him? No…no, she wouldn't do that. She wasn't a cruel horse. She would likely let him down gently, as kind as she could be. But the rejection would still be worse than any torture imaginable, worse than wolves or wildcats or bears. He couldn't tell her…not yet, anyway. Not until he was more certain of how she felt about him. Or maybe never. He just didn't know…

Rosaline gasped, jolting him from his thoughts. They had reached the stream, its crystalline waters burbling placidly along, the sun reflecting off the shimmering surface. It would have been a peaceful, beautiful scene…

…except for the body of a horse lying on the riverbank.

They rushed forward, their ears laid back in fear, hearts pounding. It was a mare, and she had a red coat. There was blood trickling down her face from a gash in her forehead.

"Juliet!" Rosaline cried. "Oh no…Juliet! Wake up! Please, Juliet, wake up! Please don't be dead, you can't be dead!"

"She's alive!" Benvolio said. "Look, Rosaline: she's breathing! She's alive!"

Rosaline let out a short cry of relief. "Thank goodness! But what happened to her?"

"She must have been attacked by something," Benvolio replied, looking at the cut under Juliet's forelock. "Let's try to revive her. Maybe she'll remember what happened before she passed out."

Rosaline nodded and turned to the stream, dipping her muzzle in and splashing water onto Juliet's face. The red mare gasped and spluttered, her eyes opening blearily. "Wha…?" she mumbled. "What…happened…?"

"We were hoping you could tell us," Benvolio answered, exchanging a worried glance with Rosaline. "Do you remember anything that happened before you were attacked?"

Juliet tried to stand and winced as her head throbbed painfully. "I…I don't…" She paused, thinking. "There…there was a horse…I didn't get a good look, but…I think…I think he had chestnut-colored hair."

"Chestnut?" Rosaline repeated sharply. "You mean like Paris?"

Juliet looked up at her, eyes widening in confusion and worry. "Yes."

Benvolio reared onto his hind legs and whirled around. "Rosaline, stay with Juliet," he said sharply. "I'm going to get my father. He needs to know about this."

Rosaline nodded, and Benvolio hurried away, vanishing between the trees as he galloped back to the clearing. Turning her attention back to her wounded friend, the Appaloosa mare asked, "Where's Romeo? Was he with you?"

"No." Juliet tossed her head and winced again. "He's not feeling well, so he told me to go on to the stream without him. Oh my poor dear," she added with a moan, "he must be so worried right now…"

But Rosaline's heart was pounding with an ever-growing sense of horror. If Paris had found Juliet here at the stream and attacked her, what would have been his next move? Would he have returned to the herd, content? Or would he have known that Romeo couldn't be far away from Juliet? Could he possibly have known his rival was nearby? Had he gone looking for him? And if he'd found him…what then?

She hesitated for half a second, unsure of what to do. Benvolio had asked her to stay there. But this could very well be a matter of life and death. Hopefully Benvolio would know where to search for them.

"Juliet," Rosaline said urgently, "come on, we have to go."

Juliet's eyes widened. "What's the matter?"

Rosaline snorted impatiently. "Juliet, if you were attacked by Paris out of jealous rage, then where do you think he'd head next? Don't you think that, if he hates one horse more than any in the world, then it would be the one that won your heart and took you away from him?"

Juliet blinked several times as Rosaline's meaning sank in. Then she cried out in terror. "You don't think…you're not suggesting that…" She couldn't even complete the thought. It was too awful for words. "We have to go back! We have to get to Romeo right away!"

Rosaline nodded. "Let's go!"

The two mares cantered through the forest, weaving their way among the trees as they hurried back to the little glen where Juliet had been living with her Romeo. She hoped and prayed that they would find him there as she had left him, alone, perhaps waking up from a nap, smiling at the sight of her, nickering her name in welcome, _alive_ …

As they drew nearer to their destination, their ears started to pick up new sounds, sounds they could hear even above their own snorting breaths and the pounding of their hooves on the ground. Grunting, heavy thuds, squeals of pain, shrieks of rage…the noises of fighting horses. Juliet felt her heart plummet.

They burst into the clearing, and their worst fears were confirmed. Paris was there, his ears laid back and teeth bared in fury, lashing out with sharp, lethal hooves at Romeo, who fought back with every ounce of strength and rage he possessed. Both stallions sported numerous cuts and bruises, and blood trickled down their sweaty, heaving sides. Romeo's cheeks glistened with tears, and his breathing was punctuated with sobs. His attacks were wild and uncontrolled, as if he were fighting blind, or if he didn't care how badly he was wounded as long as he caused his opponent as much pain as possible.

Juliet observed all this in less than a second. Then she cried out, "Romeo!"

Her mate looked around at the sound of her voice, and his eyes widened as he froze in mid-rear. He looked as if he didn't believe what he was seeing, as though he thought he must be dreaming. His lips moved, and Juliet saw them form her name, though the word itself was lost to the wind. In that endless, timeless second during which they gazed upon each other, she saw an unspeakable joy and relief flash in his eyes. In that moment, that solitary moment, they were together again, two souls joined as one.

Then the moment passed, and Paris, taking advantage of Romeo's distraction, shoved the stallion, forcing him to the ground with a heavy thud. Romeo gasped, winded, as Paris rose above him, eyes alight with terrible fury and triumph as his hooves flashed in the hot afternoon sun. And in that second, Juliet knew what was about to happen, knew what Paris intended, and there was nothing she could do to prevent it. She lunged forward, knowing she would never make it there in time, screaming, "Paris, NO!" while knowing it would do no good.

She was right. Paris drove his forefeet down, putting as much of his weight behind them as he could, and his hooves buried themselves in Romeo's side.

There was a terrible cracking sound that reminded Juliet fleetingly of a tree branch breaking in a heavy wind. She just had time to connect the noise to what she had witnessed, time enough for her heart to stop beating…

…and then Romeo let out a roar of utter agony, pain like nothing he'd ever felt before, hot, searing pain that had neither beginning nor end, pain that filled him, engulfed him, consumed him.

The sound of his scream faded, and his head fell limply to the earth. He lay utterly motionless, making not even the smallest sound. He didn't even seem to breathe.

"Romeo!"

Juliet rushed forward, completely ignoring Paris, who stepped back with a look of cold satisfaction in his eyes. She dropped down beside her mate, searching frantically for any sign of life. His side rose and fell jerkily, blood pouring down his belly from a terrible wound left by Paris's hooves. "Romeo, oh Romeo…! Open your eyes! Look at me, Romeo, look at me please!"

Romeo's eyelids twitched and then opened, and their gazes met. He smiled weakly. "Juliet," he croaked. "You're alive…thank goodness…I thought you were…" He inhaled sharply and cringed as the pain inside him flared fiercely.

"Yes, I'm alive," Juliet assured him, fighting to keep her voice level. She could feel it trying to shake. "And we're together, all right? You and I are together now, and we always will be. You're going to be okay, Romeo, I promise."

Romeo coughed, a horrible sound that made Juliet think for a moment that he was going to expel his lungs from his mouth. "I'm sorry, my sweet Juliet," he said. "I was such a fool…I'm so sorry…I love you…"

Juliet stiffened. "Don't do that," she said. "Don't act like you're saying good-bye. Romeo, you can't…you're going to be okay, you have to be! I can't live without you! Please, Romeo, please hang on, just hang on! Stay with me!"

Romeo blinked several times, though his eyelids didn't reopen all the way. "I…I'm having trouble…seeing you…" he murmured in between ragged, uneven breaths. "You're becoming…kind of fuzzy…"

Juliet's heart contracted. "Romeo…" she moaned quietly, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Juliet," Romeo gasped, convulsing again as another burst of pain throbbed through his body, "please…tell me you…love me…I need to…hear you say it…one more time…please my love…please tell me…"

Juliet sobbed, her tears spilling over and spattering on her mate's face. She wasn't sure he felt them, for he didn't react at all to their touch. "I…I love you, Romeo," she said tremulously, reaching down to press her muzzle to his. "You are my world and…and…and I love you…so much…"

Romeo smiled. "Thank you…Juliet…my love…" He closed his eyes. They did not open again. His breathing slowed…slowed…then stopped with one final exhalation. His smile faded and his face cleared of expression. His body relaxed and moved no more. He was gone.

Juliet's eyes widened and her lungs froze mid-breath. She stared down at her mate's body, shaking her head in denial. "No," she whispered. Then again, louder: "No."

There was a beat.

And then she screamed the word, screamed her grief and despair to the entire forest, screamed so hard that it hurt her throat. It was a sound that was filled with unspeakable sorrow, and it struck the heart of every creature that heard it. She screamed until her voice gave out, and then she started to cry, burying her face in Romeo's shoulder. "Romeo," she whimpered, "oh Romeo, tell me you love me. Say it again. Open your eyes and look at me and tell me you love me. Say something, for the love of Equus say something! Anything! Just open your eyes! Breathe! Don't leave me, please…don't…don't…"

She could say no more but cried harder than ever, her whole body shaking with her sobs. It was all over: their love, their determination to end their fathers' hatred, everything. Every smile, every sweet touch, every tender nuzzle, every traded whisper, all of it was gone now, lost to death that snatched her mate away from her. The future she'd prayed for, the life she'd wanted to live with her beloved Romeo, the foals she'd hoped to have with him, all of it was now dust and useless wishing. Romeo was gone, and with him went her entire world.

Behind her, Rosaline stepped forward, her own cheeks streaked as well with tears. She reached out with her muzzle to touch Juliet's shoulder, the only comfort she could give. But Juliet gave no notice. Indeed, she didn't even feel her friend's presence.

She did, however, notice the sound of running hoofbeats. Her ears swiveled backward, and she looked around in time to see Benvolio charge into the clearing, followed closely by Prince, Capulet, Lady, and Montague. There was a moment of stunned silence as the new arrivals surveyed the scene. Then Montague shouted, "Romeo!" and hurried to his son's side. "Oh no…no, Romeo! No it can't be! You can't be dead! You can't! Oh my son…my son…!" And he too dissolved into sobs, joining Juliet in her grief.

There was the sound of a short scuffle and a squeal of pain, and Juliet looked around in time to see Paris retreating from Prince's hooves. "Get out of here," Prince snarled, and there was such venom in his voice that Juliet couldn't quite believe this was the same horse who had looked after her and her family for as long as she could remember. "I don't ever want to see your face again. Go."

Paris took several steps backward and glanced at Juliet. For a second, their eyes met, and Juliet stared at him. There was something in his gaze that she couldn't place: she was too heartbroken to figure it out. Was it regret?

Then Paris wheeled around and galloped away. She never saw him again.

When Paris was gone, she returned her eyes to her mate. She tenderly reached out and brushed his forelock out of his face. His expression was peaceful. He might have been sleeping, ready to wake at any moment.

 _But he won't_ , she thought, and the reality hit her like an avalanche, burying her under the crushing weight of her grief. _He'll never wake up again. Because he's not sleeping. He's…he's…_

Her thoughts failed, and her tears resumed. Sobbing uncontrollably, she and Montague continued to cry over Romeo's body, watched on in silence by the other horses as the hot afternoon sun continued its merciless, uncaring path across the sky.

 **A/N: …well, really what did you expect from a Romeo and Juliet adaptation? A happy ending?**

 **The last chapter will be up on Tuesday, which – perhaps appropriately enough – is Valentine's Day. I hope you're enjoying the story!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Here's the final chapter of the story. I hope you've enjoyed the story so far and that you'll enjoy the conclusion as well.**

Chapter Twelve

It was as if the weather shared in the collective grief that overshadowed the herd. The sky was gray and cloudy for days after Romeo's death. The wind blew fiercely, whistling through the trees like a terrible wail of misery. Rain fell like endless tears from the heavens, and the sky rumbled with sobs of thunder.

The day after the fatal fight, Capulet found Montague standing in his usual corner of the clearing, his eyes fixed on nothing, rain mingling with the tears streaking his cheeks. There was silence for a long moment. Capulet was hesitant to announce himself, unsure of how exactly to proceed. He opened his mouth, closed it again, then took a deep breath and said softly, "Montague?"

The palomino stallion blinked and looked around at him. There was a tense moment in which the two horses just stared at each other. Capulet could see a swirl of conflicting emotions swirling in his old foe's eyes: rage, grief, hopelessness, confusion, all jumbled together in a nameless mass that made Capulet's heart ache.

Then the moment passed, and Montague looked away again. "What do you want?" he said tonelessly.

Capulet pawed the ground nervously. "To say…say that…I'm sorry, Montague."

Montague turned his head again to the other horse, surprise flickering in his gaze. "What?"

"I'm sorry," Capulet repeated. "I…I've done a lot of thinking lately. Thinking about…well, us. About what we once were and what we've become. And I've realized something, something I've tried to deny for far too long." He took another breath and plunged on, "This is all my fault. Everything that's happened between us, it's my fault. I should never have treated you with such hatred. I should have forgiven you and moved on with my life. Instead I held onto my anger, let it grow until it destroyed us. It's because I couldn't forgive that my daughter was afraid to talk to me of her love for…for Romeo." Capulet glanced nervously at Montague as he mentioned the dead horse, but apart from a slight wince, Montague barely reacted to the sound of his son's name. "If she'd been able to speak openly with me, then none of what followed would have ever happened, and he would still be here. So…I guess what I'm trying to say…is…I'm sorry, Montague. It's my fault that Romeo's dead, and I'm so sorry. Whatever our pasts, I never wanted you to suffer as you do now. Please…" He bowed his head toward the silent palomino. "…please forgive me, Montague. Forgive me for everything I ever did to you."

There was a long, uncomfortable silence. Montague stared at Capulet for several seconds, his face unreadable. Capulet waited worriedly as his old enemy pondered his response, hoping against hope that he would be forgiven.

Then Montague surprised him. He smiled. "You're not the only one to blame, Capulet," he murmured. "After all, you had every right to be angry at me. I should have been open to you from the start about my feelings for Livia, and I still blame myself for her death. So you're not alone in the guilt." He sighed. "Capulet, I forgive you. And I would be forever grateful if you would forgive me as well for the pain I caused you."

"Yes," Capulet said at once. "Yes, Montague. I forgive you." He reached out and touched the other stallion's shoulder. Montague closed his eyes and tears threatened to fall, but he smiled all the same. "Thank you, my friend. Thank you so much. If…if there's anything I can do, any way I can help you, don't hesitate to ask, all right?"

Montague nodded but didn't speak. He looked as though he wasn't capable of saying a word. Capulet drew back and turned away, feeling as though a great weight had been lifted from his back.

"Capulet?"

He stopped and turned to face Montague again. The palomino hesitated for a second or two. Then he said, "Would you please tell Juliet that I'm sorry? I do not blame her for Romeo's death. I know she loved him, and…and I'm glad that he was happy with her."

Capulet inclined his head. "I will."

"Thank you…my friend."

Capulet smiled weakly and then returned to his own corner of the clearing, where he found Juliet reclining on the ground, exactly where he'd left her a few minutes before.

Juliet had returned to the herd, but she was changed. She no longer smiled or laughed or even spoke. She remained silent at all times, gazing off into space and refusing to meet anyone's eye for longer than a second, just long enough for everyone to see just how broken the poor mare was. It was as if life had deserted her, leaving behind a body that still functioned but had no soul. It frightened Capulet to see his daughter in such a state.

"Juliet," he said, but the young mare didn't even flick an ear toward him to acknowledge she'd heard. "I've just spoken to Montague, and we have reconciled our differences. We are enemies no longer. I know it's come far later than it should have, but…well, I…I thought you'd like to know."

Juliet made no response. Capulet bit his lip worriedly before speaking again, taking great efforts to not let his voice shake. "Also, Montague asked me to tell you that…he doesn't blame you for Romeo's death. He says that he knows you two loved each other very much, and he's glad you were able to make his son happy."

At this, Juliet turned her head and looked up at her father with her dull, lifeless eyes. They were glistening with unshed tears. There was a pregnant pause.

Then Capulet burst out, "Juliet, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for forcing you into a match you didn't want. I'm sorry for saying those terrible things to you and for being so angry with you for following your heart. And I'm sorry, so sorry that my hatred for Montague destroyed your happiness. I'm sorry for all of it. Juliet, my daughter, I love you, and…and I hope to Equus that you can forgive me for causing you so much pain."

Juliet said nothing but continued to gaze up at him in silence for several seconds. Then she dropped her chin just slightly. It was the barest of movements, but Capulet understood what it meant. He smiled in relief and reached out to nuzzle her. "Thank you, Juliet," he murmured. "Thank you so much."

But Capulet's relief would not last long, for before the day was out Tybalt's fever had infected the herd.

Prince was the first to show signs of being ill. He started to cough as Tybalt and Romeo had, a terrible hacking cough that made his sides heave. Others soon followed him, and before long the entire herd was sick.

The single mercy was that the fever was relatively minor. Most of the horses recovered in a few days. Those in the most danger were the foals and the elderly, who were less prepared to fight off the disease, yet even though a couple of foals teetered on the brink of death, none of them succumbed and they were soon well again.

But Juliet only got worse.

As her father, mother, and friends improved steadily, her condition continued to deteriorate. Her cough became so intense that it hurt, and soon she was having trouble breathing. She lay flat on the ground, her side rising and falling shakily as she struggled to draw in a complete breath, her nostrils flared as they strained to find air. For three days she hovered in this state between life and death, getting slowly sicker as the hours wore on. Capulet, who never left her side for a moment, thought he knew the reason. Juliet had simply lost the will to live. Her broken heart had left her unable and unwilling to fight off the infection, which inevitably consumed her.

On the third day of this in-between state, Juliet opened her eyes and looked up at Capulet. For a moment he wondered if she actually saw him, or if she was gazing at something only she could see. Then she gasped, "F-Father…"

"Juliet?" Capulet leaned forward, nuzzling his daughter's hot cheek. "What is it, sweetheart?"

Juliet didn't answer. She merely smiled, her gaze slightly unfocused. Beside her mate, Lady sobbed quietly, her muzzle pressed to Juliet's neck.

Then Juliet hissed out one last word with her final breath: "Romeo…" And her body went limp, her head falling to the ground and her eyes closing. She was dead.

…

Rosaline, tears running down her cheeks, trudged over to where Benvolio lay resting beside his father. Prince looked up at her approach, ears tilted questioningly. "Juliet is dead," she said quietly, her voice trembling. "She just passed away a few minutes ago."

Prince's jaw tightened, his tail drooping sadly, but he said nothing, for at that moment Benvolio tried to sit up. "Juliet is…" he began, but his next words were consumed by a coughing fit, and he fell back to earth with a groan. Rosaline felt her heart miss a beat.

"He's worse," Prince said to her, sounding worried. "I thought he was recovering, but he took a turn overnight." He bent his neck to nuzzle his son. Benvolio moaned quietly, eyes closed in a grimace of pain. "Please, son," Prince murmured, "please don't leave me. I can't lose you, not after everything that's happened. Benvolio…oh my poor son…please fight it, son, please…"

Benvolio coughed again and gazed up at the frantic horse. "Father," he croaked, and Prince's ears swiveled forward to catch every word, "I…I'm sorry for what I said after you banished Romeo. I know…leading a herd is difficult, and you…you have to make hard choices. It wasn't fair for me to talk to you the way I did."

Prince tossed his mane. "Don't worry about that right now, son. I understand." He let out a short, shaky, humorless laugh. "There were probably better ways I could have handled the situation, but I can't go back and undo what's been done." He sighed. "I'm sorry…I feel like such a failure, as a father, a leader…I don't know where I went wrong…"

"You're…a great leader," Benvolio protested, smiling weakly. "And a pretty great father, too."

Prince's eyes swam with tears, which he blinked back. "Thank you, Benvolio," he said. "I love you, my son."

"I love you too, Father." Benvolio replied, and with that he closed his eyes, his breathing deep and uneven.

Prince gazed fondly down at him for several moments before looking over at the other side of the clearing. "I must go speak with Capulet, try to comfort him," he said. "Rosaline, would you please stay with Benvolio? I won't be long. If he gets worse, please get me immediately."

Rosaline agreed, and soon she was alone with the sick colt. He opened his eyes and smiled up at her. She tried to return the smile but didn't manage it so well.

"So Juliet is dead?"

Rosaline flicked an ear in affirmation, head bowed sadly. Benvolio nickered with sympathy. "I'm…I'm so sorry, Rosaline. I know you two were…very close."

"She was my best friend." She sniffed and blinked away her tears. "But let's not talk about that right now. At the moment, all I'm worried about is you. You've got to focus on getting better, okay?"

Benvolio didn't answer but instead started coughing again. Reaching out to touch his neck comfortingly, Rosaline noticed that his flesh was burning with the fever. The heat alarmed her. Prince was right: he was much worse, dangerously worse…

"Rosaline," Benvolio said suddenly, and his voice was so intense that Rosaline lifted both ears alertly. "I…I want you to know…" He laughed shakily. "This isn't exactly how I intended to tell you, but I'm not sure I'm going to have another chance. And I don't want to leave this world without letting you know…"

Rosaline's heart missed a beat. "Don't talk like that," she said. "Benvolio, you're going to be all right. You have to be. Your father needs you to be all right. And…and I do too. Please, Benvolio, don't give up."

Benvolio coughed again, and now his vision was starting to fade, a black border rimming Rosaline's beautiful face. He was just so tired…if he could only sleep…but would he wake up again?

"Rosaline…I love you."

The mare inhaled sharply, eyes widening in surprise. Benvolio was smiling and gazing at her with a tenderness that seemed both strange yet somehow familiar. Where had she seen it before?

Then she remembered: it was the same look she'd seen in Romeo's eyes when he was with Juliet.

Rosaline felt her heart thump heavily in her chest, pumping her full of warmth, and a true smile spread across her face for the first time since the day Romeo had died. "Oh Benvolio," she sighed. "I love you too." She reached out and affectionately pressed her muzzle to his, so happy for a single moment that she almost forgot the terrible events that had driven them all to misery.

Then Benvolio's head fell away, hitting the ground with a soft thud, and Rosaline's heart came crashing back down to earth. "Benvolio?" she gasped. He didn't respond. His eyes were closed, and he was barely breathing. "Benvolio!"

But Benvolio could no longer hear her.

…

When he opened his eyes, Benvolio had to blink several times to make sure he wasn't imagining things. He was surrounded on all sides by an endless expanse of white stretching out in every direction. He couldn't even tell where the ground ended and the sky began because everything looked exactly the same.

Once he was certain that he wasn't imagining this strange environment, he stood up and shook himself, even though there was no loose dirt or grass to loosen from his coat. He breathed deeply, trying to pick up a familiar scent, but the world seemed to have lost all its odors. Not only that, but the act of inhaling didn't trigger a massive coughing fit. His body didn't feel feverish anymore, either. It was as though his sickness was totally gone.

 _Where am I?_ he thought, looking around. His brain seemed to be working at half-speed. A world of endless white. No familiar sights and sounds. His body healed. Totally alone.

 _Am I…dead?_ he wondered.

"Hello?" he called, and his voice echoed in the silent stretch of nothingness. "Is anyone there? Hello?"

A whinny caught his attention, and he whirled around, his heart jumping into his throat. He wasn't as alone as he'd first thought. Some distance away, far enough that he would have had to raise his voice to speak with them, were two other horses. Benvolio blinked and squinted, trying to make out their features. They seemed oddly familiar to him, though with his mind still not quite fully working, he couldn't place them. One horse, a blue roan stallion, was standing motionlessly, watching with a broad smile on his face as the other, a red mare, galloped toward him as fast as her legs could carry her. The mare all but collided with the stallion, pressing herself to him and burying her face in his shoulder. The stallion rested his head over her neck, holding her close and nickering quietly to her, saying things that Benvolio couldn't hear. The mare seemed to be crying, her body shaking with sobs, and he wondered why she should be so sad. He also wondered why, if she was grieving so badly that tears ran down her face, she was smiling so broadly…

Unless those were tears of joy she was crying…

And then it hit him. He suddenly understood what he was witnessing, and he realized why the two horses seemed so familiar.

Juliet drew back far enough to look into Romeo's eyes, speaking what were undoubtedly words of deepest love to her mate, and Romeo murmured something in reply, touching his muzzle to hers affectionately. They were reunited at last, and nothing would ever come between them again.

Feeling his heart leap with joy at the sight, het let loose a shrill whinny of greeting. Romeo and Juliet both turned their heads toward him and returned the salutation, their shrill cries echoing in the silent whiteness of this strange world.

And then another voice joined theirs. Only this voice was sad and broken with what sounded like moans of grief. Benvolio's ears swiveled around to catch the noise and then turned around to see its source. His heart slipped several notches. The span of nothingness he'd woken in was no longer empty. A gray Appaloosa mare reclined on the ground a few feet away, leaning over the body of a paint colt, her tears splashing on the horse's face and neck. She too was speaking words that Benvolio couldn't hear, but these were obviously not the joyful tidings shared by Romeo and Juliet. These were pleas, desperate appeals to the lifeless form to revive…

Recognition struck Benvolio again, but this time it made his heart break. The mare was Rosaline, and the body beside her was…

 _It's me!_ he realized with an unpleasant shock. _That's my body! Oh no…then I really am dead!_

He turned again to gaze at Romeo and Juliet, who were watching him silently. Were they waiting for him to join them? Where would they go then? What lay beyond life?

He suddenly realized he wasn't ready to find out.

He took a step backward, toward Rosaline and his own body, and this single gesture seemed to answer the unasked question that hung in the air. Romeo and Juliet inclined their heads in understanding and turned away from him, walking into the great white expanse that served as the passageway to whatever realm waited for them, a new world free of pain and heartache, a world where Romeo and Juliet would be free to love each other for all time. Benvolio smiled and whinnied one last time in farewell. The lovers paused to look back at him, and they both reared up, calling a final good-bye to him. Then they resumed their walk into nothingness and disappeared into the white horizon.

Benvolio smiled to himself for a moment as he watched his old friends vanish into eternal joy. Then he turned around again, facing the mare he loved, and took a step in her direction…

…

Benvolio stirred, and Rosaline gasped as his eyes fluttered open. "Benvolio?!" she cried, her voice breaking. "Oh my gosh, Benvolio, thank Equus! I thought you…I thought you were…" She couldn't complete the sentence.

Benvolio smiled weakly. "Nah," he mumbled, "just taking a little nap, that's all."

Rosaline laughed shakily and leaned down to nuzzle his cheek. Feeling the temperature of his skin, she said, "Your fever seems to have broken. I think you're going to be okay."

"Of course I am," Benvolio replied, raising his head a little so that he could look at her more fully. "It'll take more than a little cough to take me out."

As Rosaline rolled her eyes and shook her head, her smile still fixed in place, Benvolio took a look around. The day had cleared: the sun was shining and the grass waving slightly in the pleasant breeze. Beside Rosaline, his father Prince stood with his knees locked, sleeping lightly.

"How long was I asleep?" Benvolio asked. He distinctly remembered the sky being overcast and the ground wet with rain when he passed out.

Rosaline's smile slipped a little. "Two days," she replied, and Benvolio's ears flicked in surprise. "We were all so worried that you'd never wake up again." Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears at the very thought.

Benvolio nickered quietly and reached up to press his muzzle to her cheek. "Please don't cry, my love," he murmured. "I'm all right now. The worst is over."

Rosaline sighed and leaned into his touch. Then she drew back, turning to her leader and saying loudly, "Prince, wake up. Benvolio's awake."

Prince snorted and jolted, immediately alert, his eyes darting first to Rosaline and then down to his son. They widened in surprise and joy. "Benvolio!" he cried, stepping forward to touch the colt's shoulder. "Oh thank heavens! I was so worried…"

Benvolio huffed quietly. "I know. I'm sorry for putting you through that. But I'm feeling much better now."

He rocked forward and rose unsteadily to his feet, feeling his legs shake as they took his weight for the first time in two days. Rosaline and Prince stood on either side of him, ready to catch him in case he started to fall, but they needn't have worried. Apart from a faint cough or two, the last remnants of the fever that had very nearly killed him, he was just fine. He smiled at both of them fondly and then bent his neck so that he could graze. The grass was so vibrantly green that it made him hungry just to look at it…

The thought of color made him freeze, and his thoughts shifted to the dream he'd had while he'd been unconscious. Only he wasn't even sure "dream" was the right word to use. What exactly had that been? A vision? Or had he actually been there in that weird unreality between life and death, teetering on the brink between the world he knew and the one that lay beyond?

Had he really seen Romeo and Juliet again? Had he witnessed their reunion as they joyfully moved on to the next life, life without end, without hardship or suffering or heartbreak?

Then he smiled. In the end, he realized, it didn't matter what he'd witnessed, whether it had been a dream or not. What mattered was that Romeo and Juliet were together at last, and they would never be torn apart again.

And as for him…he looked to his left, where his father stood watching him carefully, and then to his right, where Rosaline gazed at him with unguarded affection in her eyes. He felt his heart swell at the sight of them. He pressed his muzzle to Rosaline's, nickering wordless promises of love to her, and she closed her eyes, smiling joyously.

Around them, the other horses grazed contentedly. Foals played games and ran about the clearing while their mothers watched on. Birds sang and flew from tree to tree, and a faint breeze stirred the warm morning air. Benvolio breathed deeply and sighed, delighting in the familiar scents of the world, and he smiled knowingly at Rosaline. She smiled back, perhaps a little confused at his newfound sense of joy but no less happy to be with him.

Grief would come, he knew. The next few weeks would be sad for everyone. Montague, Capulet, and Lady were all mourning the loss of their children, and he knew the herd would never quite be the same.

But all that could wait for now. For in this moment, this single stretch of eternity, everything was perfect.

 **A/N: The End!**

 **So it's a bittersweet ending for these horses. Romeo and Juliet are gone, but they are reunited at last. And Benvolio and Rosaline have a promising future lying ahead of them. So hopefully I haven't totally ruined Valentine's Day for you by depressing you…**

 **Thank you so much for reading this story! Please leave a review and tell me what you thought of it. I am open to critiques and suggestions as long as it's constructive, and any tips to help improve the book for publication are much appreciated.**


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